Rising India-She Shakti | 'Women Must Ensure National Ambition for Global Good is Recognised': Smriti Irani

Union women and child development minister Smriti Irani said we as women must ensure that national ambition for a global good is recognised. “We are at a time in India’s history when we can catapult to new achievements in new areas for a greater good. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity,” she said.

Irani was talking about “women-led development” at Network18’s Rising India-She Shakti conclave on Friday, where she said the phrase itself is a tectonic shift thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has, for the first time, stressed upon women’s participation in the country’s progress.

“The very phrase ‘women-led development’ is a tectonic shift of not only narrative, but perception. Women in our country were always looked at as beneficiaries, waiting to be rescued,” she told classical dancer Ananda Shankar Jayant during an engaging conversation.

The union minister criticised the previous Congress rule for ignoring women’s issues, such as their safety as well as lack of sanitation and proper hygiene. “The Congress government in 2005-06 knew that women were getting raped in the open; in 2010, it knew that the GDP (gross domestic product) was taking a hit due to lack of sanitation. Building toilets was never considered glamorous in the politics but now women have access to toilets. Before 2014, many people said women can’t start a business, but now Mudra has made it possible for them,” she said.

Irani said women-led development had financially strengthened women so that they could be equal partners in society. It was not about being cushioned or having a fallback plan. “No woman is getting a cushion. I think it’s about access to opportunities. I can’t even imagine that young girls were not allowed in Sainik schools, but they are now. Women have permanent commission (in the armed forces), are launching space missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan. These are all those women who were waiting at the high table for an opportunity,” she added.

When Jayant asked what her one core strength and fallback was, pat came the reply: “I have no fallback and that’s my core strength. I have no option but to succeed. If I were comfortable, I won’t be here today.”

‘The Missile Woman of India choked…’

Irani shared an anecdote featuring ‘Missile Woman of India’, Tessy Thomas, when she was the union education minister and how she was instrumental in getting the eminent scientist nominated to the IIT Council, the apex body of all Indian Institutes of Technology.

She described her experience when she held the first meeting of the council, where the room was full of male scientists. “I asked them about a woman representative but they told me that I was the ‘face’. But I told them I was the politician, and walked out of the room to make a phone call. I immediately called Tessy Thomas, and asked her if she would like to be nominated by me to the IIT council. She literally choked; the Missile Woman of India choked,” she said.

Irani added: “It’s not that women of merit didn’t exist, but she (Tessy Thomas) was not in that room. Women, when they are young, are told that they will only reach a certain level of achievement, so it’s incumbent upon my generation and the one after me to recognise the potential of those before us.”

‘Price to pursuing dreams’

Irani said there should be a footnote to the common “pursue your dreams” advice, as there is always a price to doing something on your own terms. “Pursue it (dreams), but remember there will be a price. When you pursue something on your own terms, many will be upset because you refuse to be crushed,” she said.

She further said the “humility” tag is easily attached to women achievers. “I am not a humble person. I’m very vocal about what I’ve achieved when I’m given the right platform. I do not feel shy or any kind of guilt as my achievements are on my own terms and I did not subjugate myself to anyone’s will,” she said.

She added: “When women come on stage and accept any kind of an achievement, the ‘humility’ tag is insistently attached to them. Otherwise, you’re not feminine enough. However, this disposition is not expected of a man. We’ve seen a time in our society, that if a woman is too boisterous about her achievements, she’s not considered feminine enough.”

‘Mine is a story that is told’

The minister said there was a general perception that women do not have the capacity to consume knowledge from their surroundings or life experiences, that they do not observe and are only in a position to receive knowledge if they are told.

“But this is not in the case of men. Many say my story is rare, but mine is not a story that is rare. Mine is a story that is told. My struggles or challenges are not mine alone; many women in this room have gone through different experiences,” she said.

Irani said she would like to impress upon younger women that if they are in a position to do better, then they should keep looking for opportunities.

‘Can’t be in public space and hope to be protected’

The minister spoke about her time in the entertainment industry, but she said her “unionbaazi and activism” were alive even behind the camera.

“When I was in the media, I was mostly a union leader,” she said, adding, “my union-baazi and activism were alive even behind the camera… You can’t be in public space and hope to be protected. You are to be morally, ethically lynched,” she said, adding that she started with political and social activism, but realsied not much will be achieved if she did not get into electoral politics.

Rising India-She Shakti is a unique initiative aimed to honour the accomplishments of women and will be driven by women as well. The conclave will serve as a platform to showcase their achievements, share stories, and inspire a new generation of leaders.

As underlined by the prime minister, India has now entered a women-led development phase. The advancement towards becoming a developed nation is closely linked to the active participation of Indian women.

This conclave seeks to amplify the recognition of women who not only broke the glass ceiling but also broke gender stereotypes and inspired ‘atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance).

President Droupadi Murmu is the chief guest of the evening. Influential personalities such as WCD minister Smriti Irani, actor Shraddha Kapoor, legendary singer Asha Bhosle, playback singer Sunidhi Chauhan, among others are also a part of the event.