In collaboration with: Smt. Maniben M.P. Shah Women’s College (Mumbai), Chandulal Chandrakar Govt. Arts & Commerce College (Dhamdha), and Govt. Naveen College (Pendrawan)
The third lecture in the Voices of Life Lecture Series by IALSE marked the observance of Single Working Women’s Day, celebrating the resilience, strength, and leadership of women who live and work independently.
The session was warmly anchored by Prof. (Dr.) Ushakiran Agarwal, with an opening address by Dr. Archana Patki, Principal of Smt. MMP Shah Women’s College, who emphasized the importance of recognizing the challenges and achievements of single working women.
Dr. Radhakrishnan Nair, President of IALSE, in his presidential address, highlighted the estimated 100 million single working women in India and the vital role of life skills in empowering them to overcome social barriers.
The keynote lecture by Dr. Sujata Khandekar, Founding Director of CORO (Mumbai), shed light on the social stigmas and biases faced by single women, while celebrating their leadership and resilience. She shared inspiring stories of women who evolved into confident community leaders through collective support and training. Dr. Khandekar underscored the ideas of “power within” and “power with,” stressing the importance of self-belief, solidarity, and legal awareness in fostering empowerment.
An engaging interactive session explored ways to support single women outside formal organizations and how to shift societal perceptions. Dr. Khandekar emphasized listening, respect, and education as key to social change.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Archana Patki, appreciating all speakers, organizers, and participants for contributing to this meaningful dialogue.
This event reaffirmed that single working women are not just survivors but leaders — strong, capable, and vital contributors to society.