Kurukshetra,
President Ram Nath Kovind today lauded Haryanvi women for playing a true ambassador of women empowerment in the country. “From politics to beauty pageants and sports to the film industry, women from this predominantly rural state have brought laurels to India at various international events,” he said. The President was addressing a seminar on ‘Exploring self in digital age-The perspective of Srimad Bhagvad Gita philosophy’ at Kurukshetra University. It was Kovind’s first visit to the state after becoming President.

Kovind said a poor gender ratio was a blot on Haryana but the state government’s sustained efforts in the past three years under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ programme had yielded the desired results.

“Sushma Swaraj, who was elected a legislator from Haryana at the age of 25, has become the second woman to hold the office of External Affairs Minister since 1947. Santosh Yadav, a Haryanvi, is the only woman to scale Mount Everest twice,” he said while recalling the contribution of Haryana women to different fields.

Kovind referred to recently crowned Miss World Manushi Chillar as an example of Haryanavi women breaking the social taboo of veil. Persons such as Karnal-born late astronaut Kalpana Chawla would continue to inspire women to shape their dreams, he added.

The President stressed the need to popularise Bhagvad Gita as a universal text to get rid of challenges of the digital era, including mental stress and insecurity. “Threat from online games such as ‘blue whale’ is an apparent negative aspect of the new age technology that is needed to be handled effectively. From the ancient agrarian society to the modern age digital age, Gita is an exceptional spiritual text offering solutions to all challenges,” he added.