–Dr. Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity Group of Schools

Women need to be cherished and celebrated every day, and even more so those who shine the light of education upon us while we must acknowledge, on a daily basis, the significant role women play in every aspect of life, it is essential to reiterate their importance on some special occasions.

International Women’s Day is, therefore, an apt moment to celebrate various acts of courage, perseverance and determination exemplified by ordinary women, who play extraordinary roles in shaping the present and future generations of their societies and countries. We have all been witness to how, during the ongoing pandemic, women have stood resolutely at the frontline as healthcare workers, innovators, teachers and administrators, balancing all this with their responsibilities as caregivers and homemakers.

Amongst all these equally relevant roles, I believe that the most important role a woman plays is that of a teacher. Naturally so, as the first life lesson we learn is always at home, and always through our mother’s knowledge and wisdom. The extraordinary role of a mother as a teacher starts right from when a child is born. She always leads by example, whether it is for inculcating qualities of discipline and hard work, or about imparting moral values of respect for others and compassion for the needy. She is the one who teaches us how to share – first with our siblings and then with our friends – and care.

As children begin their school life, they move seamlessly from the loving arms of their mother to that of a teacher, and in majority of cases, it is usually a woman. As per a recent survey of the Education Department, more than 80% of all teachers in kindergarten through high school are women. Evidence also suggests that women teachers are better equipped to understand a child’s emotional and mental needs. They impart a sense of security to children who have just stepped out of the comfort zone of their homes. Through my vast years of experience as an educator, I can safely claim that women prove to be great counsellors as teachers, as they are born with an innate empathy, high emotional quotient and an unending capacity to nurture.

These qualities that women are endowed with naturally also find mention in our ancient texts.

(Yajur Veda 20. 85). This means that a scholarly woman inspires us towards knowledge and promotes a noble conduct. Another great exposition according to Markandeya Purana (Devimahñtmyam 2.13), says that a woman is born out of the incomparable radiance emerging from all Gods, so it is only natural for her to be all powerful and wise. Truly, we have innumerable instances of women who have turned the tide of time, despite all odds. To name just a few, we all know of Savitri Bai Phule, educator and reformer who played a vital role in revolutionising women’s rights in India, or of Helen Keller, who never surrendered to her disability, and instead rose to become an avid disability rights activist. And, at the same time, we must never forget to bow our heads in gratitude to the extraordinary women in our own lives, for each one of them is special and valuable in the roles they play to raise, support and nurture us.

Having said this, it is also a fact that despite the advancements of the 21st century, there remains a lot that needs to be done to being about gender parity in the world. We need to break the glass ceiling when it comes to equal pay for women. We must obliterate violence against women. And above all, we must open the doors of education to every girl in the world. In several rural and semi-urban areas, girl students continue to drop out of schools due to various socio-economic reasons. Being a woman and an Indian, I urge upon everyone to draw from our Vedic Wisdom which says,

(Yajurveda 11.36). This means that parents should ensure good education of children so that they can light up the world like a sun. This becomes even more pertinent when it comes to the girl child, as I firmly believe: “If you educate a boy you educate one family. But if you educate a girl, you educate two families. An educated family thereby contributes to an educated nation and an educated world.”