Mysore/Mysuru: As part of International Women’s Day 2024, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, celebrated “She Leads: Celebrating Women Achievers” function recently.

International Women’s Day theme for 2024 is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate progress.” Also, ‘Inspire inclusion” is the campaign theme for Women’s Day, which emphasises the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society.

Dr. S. Rathnamma, Research Associate, JSS, Mysuru and Prema N. Mahendrakar from Mysuru, were the chief guests. Dr. Sridevi Annapurna  Singh, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, presided. Dr. Poornima Priyadarshini, Principal Scientist, CFTRI, welcomed.

One of the chief guests Dr. Rathnamma is the first woman from Soliga community in Karnataka to earn a Ph.D. She works with Sai Pragathi Foundation to educate tribals, empower women and organise vocational training for women.

She also raises awareness about sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder that has killed many people in her tribal community.

Speaking about her childhood in forest, family history and coming over to Mysuru City for PU College and studies afterwards, Dr. Rathnamma said education can address many social issues among the State’s forest tribes and also emphasised the importance of food and nutrition with respect to various indigenous leafy vegetables and tubers grown and available in the forest area. She also dwelt upon finger millet (ragi) and 10 varieties of it with reference to nutritional health aspect.

Prema, wife of late Dr. N. Mahendrakar, retd. Scientist & former Head, Meat Marine Sciences Dept., CFTRI, who lives in CFTRI Employees Layout, Bogadi,  makes cloth bags (ANMOL) instead of plastic bags and distributes  them to needy people. During Covid pandemic, she and her husband made cloth masks and distributed to retired staff and families in their layout.

Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, the first woman Director of CSIR-CFTRI, spoke about how women should respect themselves and feel strong.

On the occasion, the Director felicitated both the chief guests Dr. Rathnamma and Prema Mahendrakar, who are leaders and achievers in their fields. CFTRI  also felicitated 4 women entrepreneurs —  Manasa of Saakya Foods, Hampapura  village, H.D. Kote taluk; Parvathi and Team of  Asare Sanjeevini food products, Bilikere  village, Hunsur taluk; G. Shilpa of Hamasavahini Eco Products, Mysuru; Anitha Sadanand of Mamma Mills, Himmavu village, Nanjangud taluk, who have taken CSIR-CFTRI technologies and these entrepreneurs spoke about their success about their products of millets and fruits especially banana and gave samples of their products to the guests.

The event concluded with vote of thanks by V. Vanajakshi.