Vijaya Dabbe was a source of inspiration for women activists

Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that noted writer Dr. Vijaya Dabbe was a source of inspiration for women activists, senior researcher Dr. T.S. Nagarathna said Vijaya Dabbe, apart from propagating women rights, also used to remind them of their duties and responsibilities.

She was speaking at Dr. Vijaya Dabbe Award conferment programme organised by Samata Adhyayana Kendra at Kiru Rangamandira in Kalamandira premises here on Thursday.

Pointing out that Dr. Vijaya Dabbe was a woman of few words, Dr. Nagarathna said she was more a humanist who lent voice to voiceless women. “Her personality was well beyond caste and religion. The Samata Adhyayana Kendra established by Dr. Vijaya Dabbe has proved to be a leading light to many hesitant women,” she said adding that she always strived for the downtrodden.

Speaking after being conferred with the award, Senior Researcher B.M. Rohini recalled that Dr. Vijaya Dabbe was her teacher at KSOU. Maintaining that Dr. Vijaya was a role model during her student days, she said that the scholar lived what she practiced. It is fortunate that she (Rohini) is the first recipient of the award instituted in her name, she added.

On the occasion, winners of State-level story and poetry contests were distributed prizes.

The winners of story contest are: B.M. Sanjay of SDM College, Ujire (first prize), Shivashankar Kadadinni, JSS College, Sakaleshpur (second) and R. Navya, Kerala Central University, Kasaragod (third).

The winners of poetry contest are: M.C.Jagadish, Vijaya Teachers College, Bengaluru (first prize), K. Swathi, Kerala Central University, Kasaragod (second) and H.G. Abhinandan,  Hosakoppa, Sagara taluk, Shivamogga district (third).

Also, there were consolation prizes in both the sections. The first prize (both the sections) carried a cash prize of Rs. 5,000, second  Rs. 3,000 and third prize – Rs. 2,000. All the consolation prize winners received a cash prize of Rs.1,000 each.

Earlier,  tributes were paid to noted critic Prof. G.H. Nayak, who passed away recently.

The Samata Kendra also resolved to extend moral support to medal winning  women wrestlers who are on an indefinite stir seeking justice in sexual harassment case in New Delhi.

Samata Adhyayana Kendra immediate Past President M.N. Sumana, current President Dr. Sabiha Bhumigowda, Secretary R. Sunandamma, Assistant  Secretary P. Omkar, Treasurer Vijaya Rao, writer and feminist Dr. N. Gayatri and others were present on the occasion.