The Hindu Tamil Nadu Women’s Summit 2024: T.N. Industries Minister calls for greater participation of women in politics
Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited (THGPPL) said that the summit was a significant gathering of policymakers, thought leaders and professionals, who are committed to fostering women’s empowerment
Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries T.R.B. Rajaa addressing during the The Hindu Tamil Nadu Women’s Summit 2024 in Chennai on July 30, 2024
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
At the The Hindu’s Tamil Nadu Women’s Summit 2024, Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa called for greater participation of women in politics. “If you want to be the change, you need to come and step in and ensure that you can make that,” he said and added that they chose wisely while choosing from various political parties.
Delivering the key note address in The Hindu’s Tamil Nadu Women Summit 2024, Mr. Rajaa cited various data sets to underline that Tamil Nadu was the “talent capital of India,” which was one of the biggest sources of the government.
The State’s achievements in women empowerment were because of the “ideological-driven government,” he said. What late social reformer ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy had started was carried forward by former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and eventually by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, he said.
Successive governments have pushed for education and the output was talent, which led to growth and industrialisation that eventually led to empowerment, the Minister said. “Tamil Nadu is symbolic of empowerment because of the push of successive governments given to education”
Citing statistics over women’s participation in various sectors, Mr. Rajaa underlined that women were in jobs that were highly important and were actively involved in building the nation.
The Minister cited a 2009 Oxford study that said after the penetration of cable TV in the State, there was a significant decline in acceptance of domestic violence. The study also found that there was a drop in the preference for a son over a daughter and there was increased participation in household decision-making, he said.
Recalling his reading The Hindu since his childhood, Mr. Rajaa said he had been “chiselled” by the newspaper and went on to say that a part of him was The Hindu. “It’s one way to read into stories that resonate, stories which are true, to the facts, something which we are very sadly missing in many of our lives.”
Inclusiveness
Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited (THGPPL) said that the summit was a significant gathering of policymakers, thought leaders and professionals, who are committed to fostering women’s empowerment and creating inclusive ecosystems for India.
Citing that more than 40% of India’s women were in the tech industry workforce and they all came from Tamil Nadu, she said: “This statistic not only highlights the industrial spirit of our State’s women, but also underscores Tamil Nadu’s leadership in promoting gender diversity in the industrial sector.”
Recalling that one of the early trendsetters in hiring women was Titan Company (a venture established by the Tamil Nadu government in collaboration with the Tata group), even before liberalisation of the Indian economy, Ms. Lakshman emphasised: “This pioneering move set a precedent for other industries to follow, ensuring that women had significant roles in manufacturing and in other traditionally-male dominated sectors.”
Referring to theTamil Nadu State Policy for Women 2024 released by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Ms. Lakshman said it was comprehensive vision to ensure social justice and provide women access to their rightful entitlement. It aimed to enable women to lead harmonious and peaceful lives within equitable opportunities to realise their true potential and aspirations for a sustainable tomorrow, she said.
“At The Hindu, we are proud of our commitment to fostering an inclusive workspace where women play pivotal roles across various departments within our organization. Our women workforce has been instrumental in driving innovation, leadership and excellence within the organisation. Their contributions are a testament to the progressive values we uphold and our dedication to gender equality,” Mr. Lakshman said.
The Hindu’s Tamil Nadu Women’s Summit 2024, in association with Guidance Tamil Nadu (TN), is being held on Tuesday.
The summit is powered by Naga Foods in association with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, KBR India and Indian Bank. Prestige, VFS Global, KPL, Port of Chennai and United India Insurance are the associate partners. Other partners include, Grundfos (sustainability partner); Apollo Pro Health (Healthcare Partner) Chennai Metro Rail (mobility); Nippon Paint (colour); ITC Mangaldeep (fragrance); Confederation of Indian Industry & CII Indian Women Network (industry); CREDAI Chennai (real estate industry); and Puthiyathalaimurai TV (television partner).
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