Happy International Women’s Day to all the ladies out there!
March 08, International Women’s Day, is recognised to celebrate women’s achievements in every niche and field across the world. Certainly, every woman has made a difference in the world by their selfless contribution. Whether it is Science, Literature, Politics, Hospitality, or Technology, women have gone to extreme lengths to challenge society, which is, in every sense brimming with stereotypes. The word feminism is often misunderstood, and let me enlighten you, feminists do not hate men! Rather, it is about supporting a world where both men and women receive equal opportunities or, say, treated equally. Do feminists want to dominate men? NO! I am a feminist, and I feel my heart would stop beating for a second when I see Hrithik Roshan’s pictures on the internet; why on earth would we hate men?
So, this International Women’s Day, we thought we would give a shout out to the women of Udaipur that have incredibly inspired us in one way or another. Their story is no different than any other little girl, who perhaps wants to break the so-called stereotypes and do something of their own.
Even in the 21st century, there are a lot of stereotypes and barriers women face. On the advent of International Women’s Day, UdaipurBlog brings you a series where we invite women from the city who have broken stereotypes and are a source of inspiration for many.
1. Hitanshi Sharma, Councillor
Being a Politician while carrying on with life as a mother, daughter, and wife is not everyone’s cup of tea. Well, Hitanshi here has done a tremendous job, despite the challenges one has to face to survive in the political world. She is a Councillor (Parshad) of ward 62 in Udaipur and tries her best hand to make this city a better place for us. She is bold, has a strong voice and opinion about how things should be in the long run. To be a Politician was never a plan, but when the opportunity came to her, she grabbed it without a second thought and marvelled at the same.
In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her journey of becoming a Councillor.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwF1EMg3SJs]
2. Smriti Kedia, CEO – Sadhna
The word “Simple” doesn’t exist in her dictionary; thereby, she is a firm believer in hard work and no shortcuts. Smriti Kedia currently became the CEO of Sadhna and has been a true inspiration and a catalyst for social change in Udaipur and beyond. She doesn’t come from a family originally associated with Social Work. Smriti has subtly reminded us that bringing equality, and empowering women is nothing but simple. Keeping the legacy alive, Smriti is working for women development in Udaipur’s rural, tribal, and urban slum belts. According to her, Feminism is about understanding and acknowledging the power or importance of women in our society. Smriti considers herself fortunate to be surrounded by women artisans on a daily basis, who are a true inspiration in themselves.
In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her journey of becoming the CEO of Sadhna.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnT0wnKk7ks]
3. Saumya Luthra, Architect
Do you also paint an image of a man when you hear the word Architect? For you to change that image, we have called upon Saumya Luthra. She is an Architect based in Udaipur and has shown that it is not only a man’s job to build and design a strong establishment. Saumya has opted for a field, which is mostly recognised as a man’s ground, and has excelled despite the challenges! It is a story of being independent and continuing a journey towards an unconventional career.
In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her journey of becoming an Architect.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn7NlmnSpIg]
4. Dolly Taldar, Hotelier
When asked by her teacher, what does she wants to become? Her answer was pretty easy and quick – “I want to become a successful Hotelier.” Meet Dolly Taldar, Director of Ramada Resort and Spa, Udaipur and know about her journey of becoming a boss lady! She is in the hospitality industry for a long time and is looking after an up-and-coming business. According to Dolly, gender biases comes quite naturally to people, especially when you belong to a small town. However, gender doesn’t impact your knowledge and capabilities, and with your skills, you can always make your name in the market.
In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her journey of becoming a successful hotelier.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKdw4_4PA58]
5. Miti Godawat, Pilot
Enlightening us on her journey of becoming a Pilot, Miti Godawat speaks about how she still gets to hear about the myths associated with marriage and working women in our society. An inspiration for many in Udaipur and beyond, Miti Godawat is recognized for her unmatchable passion for becoming a Pilot. There came a time when she was told that getting married will be the most useful thing she can do, which we all know didn’t happen to be the case! Fulfilling her father’s dream, Miti is now a Commercial Pilot for Indigo Airlines.
In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her journey of becoming a Commercial Pilot.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GNF-9A2Uf0]
6. Bonita Singh Rajpurohit, Miss Transqueen Runner-up, Co-founder of two ventures
Being Transgender is not merely an issue of gender rights; it is also a matter of equality and human rights. We have had the pleasure to meet one such transwoman from Udaipur, Bonita Singh Rajpurohit. The stereotypes about embracing the trans community are full of smoke and mirrors, and sadly the smoke is so thick that one cannot cope with the hurt they have to endure to achieve the ulterior motives. Despite all the hurt comments, Bonita was up and running in the fashion industry. She has been awarded as the second Runner-up of Miss Trans Queen India 2019 and is also a Co-founder of two ventures: DurtyFits and Durt Studio.
Bonita Singh Rajpurohit is someone who came forward as a Trans individual and thrived in the modelling and fashion Industry. In this episode of the Women’s Day feature series, UB a Woman, let’s hear out her story of breaking every stereotype about the Transgender Community.
Know about her better through this video:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szNWvri28LQ]
These were some Unheard Stories about the empowering women of Udaipur. This series is powered by Mokaya, a woman-operated bakery & patisserie. If you are aware of more such women, let us know in the comments, so that we can bring a second part to this series soon.