The seventh International Conference and meeting Kiran Bedi

 The seventh International  Conference was organised by Tagore Government Arts and Science College at Puducherry on the theme, Interdisciplinary research in contemporary Women's Studies. I gave  the key note on Women's studies and how this came about and what issues it addresses. Kiran Bedi, the Lieutenant  Governor gave the inaugural address and as usual she was full of energy and very motivational in her talk. I had met her some fifteen years back when in   Vignan Bhawan at Delhi  a  Conference was organised for the  Women police and she was the chairperson of this. I had been invited as a speaker and we had earlier spent some time organising the nitty gritty of this Conference. I still remember the impact she had made then on all the women police from constable level to officer levels, that had come from different parts of India and the hall was jam packed and every one listened with full attention. In Pondicherry she said that we are all talking of Beti  Bachao slogan but now we need to say Beta samjhao or  Ladka samjhao. The Chief minister Mr. V. Narayan Swamy also spoke very well and showed how women in Puducherry were already empowered. The Educational Minister, Kamlakannan, made a lot of sense in what he said. They all looked very  simple in their white shirts and lungis  but spoke very powerfully.I felt here was the best combination of the tradition and the modern. I was stuck by the fact that the minister was in no hurry to go and he continued to sit through out and give away the certificates. Prof. Gurmeet Singh the Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University was also there in the inauguration. A delegation from Egypt had also come and they had picked up Tamil greetings and greeted every one in Tamil. A very interesting Conference and the hospitality of the hosts was wonderful and we got to see a lot of Puducherry after the Conference. A lovely cultural programme showcasing the different classical and folk forms of dance was performed by young children. Indeed a very well organised Conference and credit goes to the leadership provided by Sasi Kant Das.