<p style='text-align:justify;'><b>International Women&apos;s Day Special Virtual Session
              "ENTHUSIASTIC &apos;SHE&apos; - Celebrating the Power of
              SHEROES&quot;\</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>On the Occasion of <b>International Women&apos;s Day, </b> ASSOCHAM&apos;s Western Region
              organised Special Virtual Session <b>ENTHUSIASTIC SHE - Celebrating the Power of
              SHEROES</b> on 08th March, 2021.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>BACKGROUND OF THE SPECIAL SESSION</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>Women are being empowered to break barriers and making a positive difference. The
              position and status of women all over the world has risen incredibly in the 20th century.
              The credit goes to the education which has become the right and ideal channel for
              awakening and promoting the retention of constitutionally guaranteed gender equality
              on all fronts. Women are playing bigger and bigger role in economic field and are
              becoming role models for the other women to excel in their area.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>India has experienced rapid growth and development in the past years in many
              spheres. Gender equity is not one of them. This is deplorable considering the
              important role played by women in the socio-economic growth of the country. The
              number of women are increasing and gradually seen marching into domains which
              were previously reserved for males (sports, politics, police, navy, astronauts, pilots,
              chartered accountants, commandos).</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>ASSOCHAM believes that It s time women should be given their due. Equip them with
              the best, and then see India give rise to its more daughter and excel in every sector.
              It s not a pipe dream. As they say, Every day is a new opportunity. In order to
              encourage the women to lead and excel into every sector, promoting zeal \&apos;n&apos;\ zest of
              women, ASSOCHAM on<b> International Women&apos;s Day 2021</b> organised an special
              virtual session on <b> ENTHUSIASTIC SHE- Celebrating the Power of SHEROES, on
              March 08, 2021 ; 03 PM Onwards, </b> with an aim to have the concrete discussion with
              the faces who changed the perspective of Indian Women, with more focus on uplifting
              and making opportunities to encourage and empower more and more women to excel
              in their respective fields at national and international level.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>SPEAKERS AT THE SPECIAL SESSION</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Moderator:</b> CA Tripti Shinghal Somani, Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM Startup Council,
              CEO KGS Advisors & Founder - Womennovator</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Key Women Enthusiasts were -</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Srushti Jayant Deshmukh,</b> IAS, Asst. Collector, Dist. Dindori, Govt. of MP</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Advocate Seema Kushwaha, </b> Nirbhaya&apos;s Advocate & Adv. Supreme Court of India</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Merin Joseph,</b> IPS, Superintendent of Police, Kerala HQs, Govt. of Kerala,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Dr Laxmi Bhawani,</b> Chief, UNICEF Gujarat,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Dr Sarika Mehta,</b> Campaigner & Founder Biking Queen,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Pragya Prasun,</b> Acid Attack Survivor & Campaigner Stop Acid Attack,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Shital Shah,</b> Actor & Director, Gujarati Cinema,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Dr Mona Desai,</b> Immediate Past President, Indian Medical Association, WDW</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> s Tripti Katiyar,</b> Sr Space Scientist, ISRO,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Hardi Oza Patel, </b> Travel Enthusiasts & Entrepreneur,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Sarita Dalal,</b> Director, ROB, Ahmedabad,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Mx Dhananjay Chauhan,</b> Transgender Activist</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>SUMMARY OF THE SPECIAL SESSION</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Srushti Jayant Deshmukh,</b> IAS, Asst. Collector, Dist. Dindori, Govt. of MP</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Always dream high. Don't be discouraged if anyone criticises you. Always dream
              with dedication and hard work and strive to make it come true.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'> • For all the women out there, each one of you is unique. We are all multitaskers and
              we are capable of doing it. So, always love yourselves and do what's good for you;
              only then you will be able to add more value to everyone around you.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'> • Start listening to the stories of women. Whether we are men or women or don&apos;t
              identify with either of the two genders, no matter where we fall on the spectrum, it&apos;s
              important to listen to the stories of not only women but of all those who have
              historically been marginalized and of course to offer us more and more scope to tell
              our own stories.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Advocate Seema Kushwaha, </b> Nirbhaya&apos;s Advocate & Adv. Supreme Court of India</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Women are still not treated equally in India and still women are considered as just a
              tool. Today's system is entirely male-dominated even today, it is not properly
              accepted that a woman is in any position. Even today, women's opinion is not given
              importance. Women's opinion must be taken into account in every field, that is the
              demand of women. A woman who is very educated can give an opinion on what
              women want.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Be what you are and enjoy what you do. You came to this world to live your life; do
              not let others live it. Stand tall against all prejudice, be it work or home!</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Merin Joseph,</b> IPS, Superintendent of Police, Kerala HQs, Govt. of Kerala,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Never give up working, never stop being financially independent because it adds a
              lot to your sense of self. Speak out because the environment today is finally allowing
              women to support other women who are speaking out</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Dr Laxmi Bhawani,</b> Chief, UNICEF Gujarat</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'> • Women s rights are human rights. Investments in gender equality contributes to
              lifelong positive outcomes for children and their communities. On International
              Women s Day, let us pledge to do everything we can to overcome prejudice and
              promote gender equality and women s empowerment.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Dr Sarika Mehta,</b> Campaigner & Founder Biking Queen</p>
             <p style='text-align:justify;'>• I want to salute the independence of spirit that women have been expressing over
              the last few decades. They have made a mark in every field. I believe that with time
              the women of India will not only be skilled and financially independent but a force to
              be reckoned with!</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Pragya Prasun,</b> Acid Attack Survivor & Campaigner Stop Acid Attack</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• There are people with two different attitudes, one who takes the path always
              grumbling along the way, while the others who follow the grateful path, and I have
              learned to see the glass half full. Here I stand as proof that I&apos;m not what happened
              to me, I&apos;m not my face, I&apos;m what I make of myself. I&apos;m a story with happy ending.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Shital Shah,</b> Actor & Director, Gujarati Cinema</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Women should grow up to be self-reliant. They should grow up to give, not to take.
              They should grow up to believe you are as good as you think for yourself. Prepare
              and optimally use whatever is within your own grasp, capacity and around.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Dr Mona Desai,</b> Immediate Past President, Indian Medical Association, WDW</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'> • I feel every woman should standup for their rights and support each other. We should
              all practice and preach equality.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> s Tripti Katiyar,</b> Sr Space Scientist, ISRO</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Investing in women and girls has a multiplier effect on productivity, efficiency, and
              sustained economic growth and that increasing women&apos;s economic empowerment
              is central to the achievement of the Millennial Development Goals and to the
              eradication of poverty, the greatest global challenge facing the world today, and an
              indispensable requirement for sustainable development.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Hardi Oza Patel,</b> Travel Enthusiasts & Entrepreneur,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>•Hardi is very fond of traveling, she has traveled to 72 countries in just 10 years,
              with a main objective is to provide an opportunity for people to see each country in
              depth. I am promoting toy tourism, rural and tribal tourism.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Ms Sarita Dalal,</b> Director, ROB, Ahmedabad,</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'> • Women should be given more resources since childhood and should be taken proper
              care of, then only Women can lead the society in real terms.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> Mx Dhananjay Chauhan,</b> Transgender Activist</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• The awareness about &apos;Gender&apos; is very bleak and faces obstruction from all facets of
              society, including the Kinnar community as they think that people like me who don&apos;t
              beg and live their life are perilous to their business of begging. It&apos;s important to
              remember that - One&apos;s caste or creed doesn&apos;t always structure them to a particular
              profession which goes on for ages.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'><b> CA Tripti Shinghal Somani, </b>Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM Startup Council, CEO KGS
              Advisors & Founder - Womennovator</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>• Women have always been a strong source of energy to society and have the
              potential to empower others. Our energies must nee reflected and channelised in
              empowering each other and strengthen women hood. It&apos;s time we join hands to
              create real women GDP.</p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>ATTENDEES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION</b></p>
              <p style='text-align:justify;'>The Session was attend by approximately <b> 300 attendees along with 50 </b> females from Gujarat
              Narmada Valley Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC), Gujarat who attended this session live
              in their auditorium.</p>