INVC,
Delhi,
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that our country has been blessed with remarkable women leaders who have left an indelible mark on our society and polity through their invaluable contributions. The paradox is that as a society we are somewhat schizophrenic in our attitudes to women and in actual practice oscillate between deep respect and endemic display of brutality in word and deed. Addressing after releasing a book entitled ‘The First Woman President of India, Reinventing leadership, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil’ written by Professor Sunaina Singh here today, he said that much too often we fail to treat women as equal citizens; much too often we disregard their basic human rights. It is evident that we still have a long way to go in ensuring full gender parity in all walks of life in our society. In this context, the life and work of former President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil ji is exemplary and a source of inspiration for our fellow citizens. He said that Smt. Patil pursued public service with grace, dignity, a modern outlook, steely determination and courage of her convictions. Her contributions in the field of agriculture and rural development; education; women’s empowerment and others social issues are noteworthy. As President of India, she upheld the constitutional norms diligently and with the gravitas befitting the high office. She took important initiatives and continued working towards the socio-economic development of the country in her usual understated but determined way.
