A unique aspect of this year’s honoured dignitaries is that they have contributed greatly for empowerment of the women.

In this era of globalization or mechanization, the situation has not improved significantly. Rather “modernization and mechanization are trending to marginalize women in many sectors. They are either pushed down or out of the workforce.” The Government has formulated some schemes for the women; but they do not reach to them yet.

Life of these award winners being felicitated here is like a flame enlightening the temple of our life. It is difficult to compare electric light with a burning flame. The electric light or lamp suppresses light of many flames and gives light with a lot of ego. Then it forgets that it needs to borrow light from the power house and only then it can get lighted. But this small flame burns herself and enlightens us. Not only this, the electric lamp cannot light another lamp, but this small flame can light many candles. The electric lamp is powerful; thanks to suppression of light of many flames, but it is a symbol of Consumption (Bhog). The selfless burning flame burns itself and enlightens the surrounding and so it is the symbol of Sacrifice. And social activists working on the path of Gandhian ideology for Constructive Work have the same humble spirit. The noble people being honoured today are symbols of this.

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