We women want is a weekly show that ITV Network and ITV Foundation have partnered on to honour women. With its grand launch on September 24th, the series made a little step toward development while making a commitment to continue telling tales of inspirational women and their contributions to society.
The programme included a panel discussion and the Shakti Awards 2022, which honoured many remarkable women from all walks of life.
We had a panel of all-female IAS and IPS officials from throughout the country in a fantastic panel discussion about India’s civil and administrative system.
We were joined with IPS/DIG NSG, MHA Government of India Manzil Saini, Joint Commissioner DP Chhaya Sharma, SP Puducherry Police Dr. Rachana Singh, IAS & Principal Resident Commissioner of Punjab Mrs Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS/DM Headquarters Delhi Ira Singhal, IG (IPS) Roopa Divakar Moudgil.
When asked about her path, IG Roopa Divakar Moudgil said that she first expressed a desire to become an IPS officer in the third grade. Later, she joined the NCC and represented Karnataka in Delhi for replica day, when she met Kirand Bedi, who inspired her to register for exams.
Roopa said, “In the academy, you are told that you are an officer first, and then a woman, but in the field, you are continuously reminded that you are a woman, which is a struggle that an officer needs to overcome.”
While leading the raid at a brothel, Chhaya Sharma said she first felt as though she could ascend the stairs without incident, but the victim’s circumstances forced her to make some tough decisions. She claimed that women share empathy with the victims and bring this to the table. Being a woman let me put myself in their shoes, Chhaya continued.
Coming from a bania family, Rakhee Gupta Bhandari stated, “Joining into civil service means you have to break the stereotype, being a woman and getting Punjab cadre as I understood this is a community which was not so friendly to women when I started. As a result, each posting I get is treated like a priceless museum piece.
Ira Singhal meanwhile stated that in a society where one’s appearance determines what others think of them. She went on to say that my narrative is one of women with disabilities, not just a tale about being a woman. As soon as I passed the service examinations, I was turned down just because of my impairment. To enter this field, I must engage in legal conflict.
Despite these challenges, the focus of yesterday’s panel discussion was on how these women overcame these challenges to become the nation’s decision-makers.
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