Six leading women achievers including Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, banker Naina Lal Kidwai and Hindustan Times group Chairperson Shobhana Bhartia were today honoured by a leading industry body for their contribution in respective fields.
The 'Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award-2013', instituted by the Assocham Ladies League (ALL), was also conferred on Bollywood actress Sharmila Tagore, fashion designer Ritu Kumar and Planning Commission member Sayeda S Hameed.
Addressing the function, Dikshit congratulated ALL for its outreach programme to uplift women.
"I am proud to be a woman and I am proud of all the women who work without being recognised. I am receiving this award on behalf of all those women.
"We are in 21st century and this is going to be a century of the women of the world," the Chief Minister, who received the award for outstanding public service, said.
In her brief address, Bhartia, who was conferred the award for excellence in nation building through media and leadership, underlined the need for empowering women.
"The more we can do in terms of providing a platform and encouragement to women, the more it will lead to their empowerment," Bhartia, who is also Editorial Director of Hindustan Times Group, said.
Dwelling on the role of the media, she said it has never before been as "poignant and critical" as it is today.
"This comes from the need of the media to be able to do unbiased, transparent and value based reportage. At the end of the day, it is the trust reposed in us that actually leads to our success and failure," she said, adding media should try to keep the trust without resorting to "swings on the way".
Country head of HSBC, Kidwai, who was honoured with the 'Award for excellence in Banking', stressed on the role of women as teachers, who she said, can "inspire us to achieve, to find ourselves and to excel".
"We can give back by being the teacher to all the girl children out there," she said.
Emphasising on the need for more women in banking sector, Kidwai said, "In banking we can do better. We need more women at every level."
Addressing the function, Hameed, who was given the award for excellence in governance, said while preparing policies, she always considered the marginalised and downtrodden.
Kumar, receiving the award for excellence in fashion retail, talked about rich Indian tradition and how the fashion industry can draw enough inspiration within the country without going to copy anything from the Western countries.
