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Youngsters are real harbingers of peace: Meenakshi Gopinath
Padma Shri awardee and former principal of Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Meenakshi Gopinath is of the view that young women and men are real harbingers of peace.
“The state of UP has witnessed several riots in recent times. If youngsters come together particularly women, together they can weed out many conflicting issues to bring about positive change in society. They can act as balm and help in healing the wounds of riot victims,” said Gopinath in a candid chat with HT City.
Founder and director of the Women in Security Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP), a NGO promoting peace and sociopolitical leadership among women of South Asia, Gopinath said that an ideal society would be one where both women and men happily coexist and share each other’s worries.
HT City caught up with Gopinath during her visit to Lucknow University’s Malviya Hall on Wednesday where she delivered a talk at the second Tehrim Dass Memorial Lecture jointly organised by Avadh Girls Degree College and Institute for Career Studies in collaboration with the department of English and Modern European Languages, University of Lucknow.
When asked about the reason behind establishing WISCOMP, Gopinath said she wanted to give women a platform to raise their voice in a patriarchal set-up. “This led me to form an NGO to give voice to voiceless and make them understand that society is incomplete without women’s participation,” said Gopinath, who headed one of the top educational institution in the country for 26 years and her total association with LSR is about 40 years including her stint as a student.
She said presently her NGO is working with students in Kashmir valley where peace has taken a backseat due to cross firing from across the border.
“The state of UP has seen several conflicting incidents in the past. Time is a great healer. But there is nothing like young women and men coming together to help in addressing problems of the people,” said Gopinath, a former member of the National Security Advisory Board, the first woman to serve this organisation. She has also served as a member of the selection panel of the Lokpal, a legal body which has jurisdiction over the legislators and government officials of India.
Gopinath in her lecture elucidated on how life of Tehrim Dass exemplified the aspects, which have a large bearing on her individuality. While quoting Maya Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’ she traced how the words and emotions of the poem were interwoven into the life of Mrs Dass. Gopinath also spoke about issues which men and women face in areas of peace, conflict management and resolution.
She also stressed upon the need to celebrate and understand the diversity which recognises and respects the differences built on commonality which comes out of genuine dialogue- a debate (vaad, vivaad) which should lead to dialogue (samvaad). She encouraged the adoption of the metaphoric tongue which speaks the language of connectedness, nurturing, inclusion which has the ability to change and transcend all maps and make us tolerate the differences.
Gopinath also advised the students to develop the ability of discernment and advocated the formulation of constructivist classroom which has the elements of planning, synchronisation and synergy.
Gopinath has piloted and fostered confidence building measures through regular conflict transformation workshops and collaborative projects among intellectuals of the SAARC region and especially between young Pakistani and Indians. An innovative program in Kashmir, which networks and trains women and youth and peace building developed by her is acknowledged as an adaptable model for sustained dialogue in areas of conflict.
Also present on the occasion were Amrita Dass, founder director of Institute for Career Studies, her sister Kavita Dass, professor of English department, LU, Nishi Pandey.
A formal vote of thanks was proposed by Upma Chaturvedi, principal, Avadh Girls’ Degree College.