STREE SHAKTI MAHOTSAVA celebrated Women’s contribution in 75 years of India’s Independence. On this occasion Chief Guest Hon’ble Dr. Karan Singh was present along with Hindi eminent writer AlkaSaraogi in the presence of prominent Hindi writer ChitraMudgal along with many eminent persons.
Dayawati Modi Stree Shakti Samman (instituted in 1998) the winner for the twenty-first award is AlkaSaraogi an eminent Hindi writer. Her edited book, ‘TerahHalfaname’ a collection of short stories of prominent women writers of Independent India, published by Vani Publication was launched by Dr. Karan Singh. Here, for the first time in Hindi, stories of Anita Desai, Mahashweta Devi, QurratulainHyder, IndraGoswami, IsmatChugtai, Krishna Sobti, ChitraMudgal, VishwapriyaIyengar, Anjali Khandwala, Kamla Das, T. Janki Rani, Urmila Pawar and Vedihi are presented here.
AlkaSaraogi’s first novel ‘Kalikatha via Bypass’ won the prestigious SahityaAkademi Award in 2001 and was published by Editions Gallimard in French, InselVerlag in German, NeriPozza in Italian and Siruela in Spanish. She has six novels to her credit.
She quoted,“Each award given to her has given credential to her journey as a writer and motivated her. Women can be the epitome of Shakti in every field they venture into, and utopian harmony is only possible when society will realise this”
Dr. Karan Singh commented “Presence of Hon’ble President DraupadiMurmuji at the AmritMahotsav of Independence is a historical moment for India and a new chapter for women’s empowerment. In honor of Dayavati Modi, a strong woman of her time, this award is inspiring the society today.”
He added, in Indian culture, the respect of women is eternal, as a symbol of which the existence and presence of goddesses like Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kali etc. can be understood. There has been difficulty in the society but I have seen progress of my country and society, the most beautiful proof of which is that in this important period of the festival of independence, for the first time, the honorable DraupadiMurmuji, coming from the tribal Santhal society, is the President of our country. It is a matter of pride and inspiration for all of us. Her hard work, compassion and wisdom will give a new identity to Indianism on the world stage. I worked with all the honorable Prime Ministers and Presidents of the country after independence and it feels great to see the progress of the country.
Who is the real Author? VidusiViddyottama or MahakaviKalidas? By Dr. Kamal K Mishra, with a forward by Dr. Karan Singh, introduction by Dr. SatyavratShastri, preface by Dr. SatyavratShastri and supported by RekhaModyand English trans-creation by Dr. Shovana Narayan;the cover of this path breaking research commissioned by Stree Shakti was released. The research in Hindi and Englishwill be published by MotilalBanarsidass Publishing House in 2023.
The first Gender Influencer Award was bestowed upon young DevanshSaraf for his short film X or Y.
RekhaMody, Founder &President of Stree Shakti – The Parallel Force remarked, “Empowerment of women is the panacea for all universal ills. Women’s literature is the key to understand the concerns, challenges and ambitions of women. In the twenty first century,the works ofMahakaviKālidāsa are being looked at from a gender perspective:
