INPUI | Everything Hmar Under One Roof

This blog provides information and news on the Hmar tribe of India

Let's Stand United Against Violence

First of all Women On Hill (WoH) wishes you a Happy Women's Day! We believed that this year's theme “Women and men united to end violence against women and girls” is the right choice. Across the world we have seen mass atrocities against women in its various forms with some unimaginable stories like a father abusing his daughter for years in Austria.

Even in India is no better place for women. We say this because of the endless campaigns against women freedom. Last year itself the national capital witnessed over 30 recorded rape cases. Many others who were afraid to file a charge sheet would have to settle without justice for the rest of their lives.

From New Delhi to Bangalore, from Mangalore to Chennai women have become the target of self proclaimed custodians of 'Indian culture'. Valentine's Day celebrations was also purely directed at women so as the attack on girls at Mangalore pub. One think must be taken into account is the need for bringing about a system that permits women to be at par with their male counterparts in all speres. Some women organisations have now come up with unique ideas to counter the threat to their freedom. This is a welcome step, but a united effort is a must especially when the so-called cultural policemen are trained and indoctrinated.

To keep it short, the need of the hour is to be united and shout with one voice. From Assam to Gujarat, Kashmir-Kerala, Indian women need to stand on one platform to meet the challenges of our time. That one step we can climb is the 'Stairways of Unity' .

International Women's Day 2009 Theme

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Organisations, governments and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues.

Some years have seen global IWD themes honoured around the world, while in other years groups have preferred to 'localise' their own themes to make them more specific and relevant.

THEME: So while many people may think there is one global theme each year, this is not always correct. It is completely up to each country and group as to what appropriate theme they select.

Below are some of the global United Nation themes used for International Women's Day to date:

- 2009: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
- 2008: Investing in Women and Girls
- 2007: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
- 2006: Women in decision-making
- 2005: Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future
- 2004: Women and HIV/AIDS
- 2003: Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
- 2002: Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
- 2001: Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
- 2000: Women Uniting for Peace
- 1999: World Free of Violence against Women
- 1998: Women and Human Rights
- 1997: Women at the Peace Table
- 1996: Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future

Various 2009 themes around the world

- Global, United Nations: Women and men united to end violence against women and girls
- Canada, Status of Women (Federal Gov): Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality
- Australia, UNIFEM: Unite to End Violence Against Women
- Australia, Queensland Government Office for Women: Our Women, Our State
- Australia, WA Department for Communities: Sharing the Caring for the Future
- UK, Doncaster Council: Women's Voices and Influence
- UK, Welsh Assembly Government: Bridging the Generational Gap
- UK, Accenture: Stretch Yourself: Achieving 50:50 in the boardroom by 2020

Source: IWD

Life Stories to Inspire: Indra Nooyi - CEO, PepsiCo.

Ever wonder how to be influential and reach the top of the world?. Here’s the inspiring story of CEO of PepsiCo and the Fortune / Time magazine’s most influential women in the world - the Chennai born Indra Krishnamoorthy Nooyi:

It’s a simple story of a powerful woman. A story of an Indian girl who came from conservative Chennai to pursue higher studies in the US with little money and no safety net. If she failed, she failed. A story of this determined girl, who while studying in Connecticut, worked as a receptionist from midnight to sunrise to earn money and struggled to put together US$50 to buy herself a western suit for her first job interview out of Yale, where she had just completed her masters. Incidentally, she wasn’t comfortable trying out a formal western outfit and ended up buying trousers that reached down only till her ankles. Rejected at the interview, she turned to her professor at the school who asked her what she would wear if she were to be in India. To her reply that it would be a sari, the professor advised her to “be yourself” and stick to what she was comfortable with. She wore a sari for her next interview. She got the job and has followed this philosophy for the rest of her career. She’s been herself, never tried to change her basic beliefs, derived strength from her traditions and believed in who she is. As she says, “I’m so secure in myself, I don’t have to be American to play in the corporate life.” She worked hard and in time was counted as one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes. In this edition of ‘My Story’ we present Indra Nooyi, President & Chief Financial Officer PepsiCo, Inc - a story that is both inspiring in its simplicity and grand in its achievement.

It all began years ago in Chennai, where she studied hard in school to get her grades. She remembers how her mother would, after meal every day ask Indra and her sister what would they like to become when they grew up. They would come up with different ideas and their mother would reward the best idea each day. It forced Indra to think and dream for herself. It was this dream that led her to be a part of the 11th batch of IIM Kolkata. After two years of work with Johnson & Johnson and Mettur Beardsell in India, it was this fiery urge that took her to America in 1978, when she left India with barely any money to pursue a management degree from the prestigious Yale Graduate School of Management.

Starting off with Boston Consulting Group in 1980, she knew it would be harder work for her than others for two reasons - one, she was a woman and two, she wasn’t an American but an outsider. She spent six years directing international corporate strategy projects at the Boston Consulting Group. Her clients ranged from textiles and consumer goods companies to retailers and specialty chemicals producers. Six years later, she joined Motorola in 1986 as the vice-president and director of corporate strategy & planning. She moved to Asea Brown Boveri in 1990 and spent four years as vice president (corporate strategy & planning). She was part of the top management team responsible for the company’s U.S. business as well as its worldwide industrial businesses, generating about one-third of ABB’s $30 billion in global sales.

An interesting tale surrounds her joining PepsiCo in 1994. At that time she also had an offer from General Electric, one of the world’s best run companies under Jack Welch. The Pepsi CEO Wayne Callloway, in a bid to lure her, told her, “Jack Welch (GE’s legendary boss) is the best CEO I know, and GE is probably the finest company. But I have a need for someone like you, and I would make PepsiCo a special place for you.” Nooyi agreed.

She broke the glass ceiling when she was appointed senior vice president, corporate strategy and development after joining PepsiCo in 1994 but she knew that getting there was one thing while staying there was another. As she says, “If you want to reach the top of a company, I agree that it can only happen in the United States, but you have to start off saying that you have got to work twice as hard as your (male) counterparts.” Not only did she work harder than her counterparts, she also made her way up the ladder to become President and Chief Financial Officer of PepsiCo, and was also appointed as a member of board of directors of PepsiCo Inc - which she assumed in 2001.

Nooyi was 44 when she joined PepsiCo. Ever since, she has been involved in every major strategic decision the company has made in the last few years. That includes the drive to spin off PepsiCo’s fast food chain in 1997, acquiring Tropicana in 1998, and the US$ 13 billion move to acquire Quaker Oats. PepsiCo chief Roger Enrico announced her elevation following the Quaker acquisition saying, “Indra’s contributions to PepsiCo have been enormous and she will make a great President. In addition to her new role as President and CFO, Indra will also be nominated for election to the Pepsi board. She is a terrific addition to our world-class board and her perspective will be invaluable.”

Indra attributes a lot of Pepsi’s success to its great employees. She believes that a company remains great when there is a strong competitor, like Coke. She believes if you have no competition, a company will atrophy. Nooyi has a unique formula that keeps her work-life balance. She feels that you must have an extended family at work to give you that balance. To keep a company running at top speed, you need to attract the best employees.

At PepsiCo she has ensured that employees actually balance life and work. She views PepsiCo as an extended family and everybody at the company is there to help in every way possible. Sometime ago, when Indra was traveling, her daughter would call the office to ask for permission to play Nintendo. The receptionist would know the routine and ask: “Have you finished your homework? Have you had your snack? OK, you can play Nintendo for half an hour”. She then left a voice message for Indra saying “I gave Tara permission to play Nintendo”. Unheard of in most corporations, it’s a team Indra has built up at PepsiCo which knows each other so well.

Despite the monumental successes of her career, Indra Nooyi remains a quintessentially Indian woman who has combined the high-octane energy of her job with the calm, collected demeanour required to manage the equally central responsibility of a mother and a wife. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Fairfax county, Connecticut. If you ever visit her Connecticut home, do remember to take your shoes off before entering. If you forget, at least remember to take them off before entering the large puja room where a diya is lit and the inviting air of incense greets you. She keeps an image of Ganesha in her office, and in fact, some PepsiCo officials visited India and received similar images besides being told of the Hindu belief about Ganesh being the symbols of auspicious beginnings. Many of them now keep images of Ganesh in their offices! Nooyi attends PepsiCo board meetings in a sari; for she believes the corporate world appreciates people who are genuine.

At work, Nooyi is in the pressure cooker world of intriguing business maneuvres and frenetic multi-million dollar moves but when she enters her home, it is like entering a sanctuary of calm. She says Carnatic music plays in their home 18 hours a day, and the feeling is much like being in a temple. Does she think her religious convictions help her to do a better job in the corporate world? “I don’t know about a better job, but it certainly makes me calm,” she says. “There are times when the stress is so incredible between office and home, trying to be a wife, mother, daughter-in-law and corporate executive. Then you close your eyes and think about a temple like Tirupati, and suddenly you feel ‘Hey–I can take on the world.’ Hinduism floats around you, and makes you feel somehow invincible.”

Is it tough being a mother and a corporate executive? Nooyi admits it is difficult, “You can walk away from the fact that you’re a corporate executive, but you can’t walk away from the fact that you are a mom. In terms of being a mother and a corporate executive, the role of mom comes first.” She believes that her husband has been a great source of strength for her. Adds Nooyi on a perkier tone, “Always pick the right husband. I have a fantastically supportive husband.” What sees her through tough times? “My family and my belief in God. If all else fails, I call my mother in India when she’s there–and wake her up in the middle of the night–and she listens to me. And she probably promises God a visit to Tirupati!” Nooyi has always seen the world through the prism of her mother’s faith and beliefs and calls her the guiding light in her life.

Picture: TIME Magazine

BIGADDA to Launch Power Women bloggers on Women's Day

BIGADDA.com, the youth networking site from the Reliance ADA Group, would be launching power women from diverse fields to blog on the occasion of International Women’s Day on 8th March 2009. The all-woman power bloggers would include renowned names like actress Pooja Bedi, Media personality & Columnist Malavika Sangghvi, Ex- Miss World Diana Hayden Nutritionist Dr.Anjali Mukherjee, Upcoming Actress Neetu Chandra, Film Director & Writer Madhureeta Anand & Debutant Actress Mahie Gill.

This novel initiative from BIGADDA.com would enable the women achievers from distinct fields such as film, journalism, society, health & fashion to come together on a single platform and speak, share & express their views. The essence of this initiative is open for them who wish to learn, grow and develop their attitude, personality, inner faith and potential and embark on a path to success.

Announcing this initiative, Shivanandan Pare, COO, BIGADDA.com said, “this is the best way to celebrate Women’s Day. It is just the right occasion to acknowledge the achievement and contribution made by these power women in their respective fields. BIGADDA expects that through their blogs they will inspire the women across the nation.”

“Today’s woman has the confidence andopportunities to make it big in whatever she sets out to do. Shejuggles her modern professional avatar whilst maintaining the rituals, conventions and expectations ofher traditional one,and yet has the ability to work around those constraints and still be incredibly successful. Through BIGADDA.com, I would appeal to all the women tobelieve in themselvesand go all out and achieve whatever they want to….and stop at nothing!” says actress Pooja Bedi.

Malavika Sangghvi, the eminent media personality &editor, believes that the time has come for change, for connecting and for commitment and women can lead the way. “Having edited and written for some of the world's leading and largest circulated publications and interacting with women from all walks of life, I want to now use my experience, and talent to form a community of likeminded, dynamic, and intelligent women, who will use my blog to network with each other, share their views and take up issues and causes closest to their hearts”, puts in Malavika.

In recent years, online social networking has created powerful new ways to communicate and share information, experience and raise opinions. This innovative step by BIGADDA.com is likely to see a steep rise in the percentage of women taking on to blogging. Now women can also make their own way and space on the net.

Ex- Miss World Diana Hayden says “Social networking sites such as BIGADDA.com have emerged as a very powerful medium to stay connected with people all over the world. So it’s only logical for me to take to blogging to reach out to my fans and let them see the real me,who isnot just a celebrity but a normal human being as well.What I especially love about this is that thisway they can also communicate with me!Ibelieve it’s a great way to engage with fans and get feedback from themwhich would only help me better myself.”

Nutritionist Dr. Anjali Mukherjee, renowned Nutritionist, is yet another achiever to take to blogging on International Women’s Day. Says Anjali, “In today’s day and age, being fit and healthy is the biggest challenge being faced by women as they have to juggle with multiple roles. I would like to use blogging as an effective tool to communicate my thoughts on the virtues of healthy living, which is the most important element for women to succeed on both fronts; home and career.”

Madhureeta Anand, film director & writer, views this initiative from BIGADDA.com as a novel contribution directed towards Women who aspire to make it big and yet need role models, a sense of direction and motivation to reach their goals. Madhureeta said, “Now it’s the time for women. Everywhere you look women are exerting their influence in all spheres. Indian women's success in an increasingly competitive environment is a complement to our tenacity and talent. And the woman's point of view is precious and needs representation and to be truly valued.”

Social networking has slowly emerged on top and built a unique image among Indian netizens, particularly the youth and now also has found number of followers among women from various segments of the society. It is used regularly by millions of people, and it now seems that social networking will be an enduring part of everyday life.

“Through BIGADDA.com I would really like to reach out to aspiring women directors, filmmakers and to all other women to show them how they can realise their goals and share their points of view as well. Especially, the future female directors of Indian Cinema. Gone are the days when movie making was a forbidden territory for women. We have many examples of successful women directors in India and this is only the beginning. As women in the audience and behind the camera increase, we will have a new turn in Indian Cinema” adds Madhureeta Anand.

Neetu Chandra, upcoming actress of the film 13 B fame would use blog as a medium to reach out to women on the occasion of International Women’s day. Says Neetu, “It has been a great fight reaching here but I cherish each and every moment of it. Being a female myself I always had a firm belief that if you have the talent and the right attitude you are destined for success. However, success does not come on a platter. One has to seek it. And this is my message to the women that just go out and seek success and enjoy it.”

Mahie Gill, Paro of Dev D a debutant actress who is winning rave reviews for her performance would also be hitting the blogging scene. She would share her attributes of being a woman and what it takes to break the initial barriers and let yourself free and allow your talent and creativity to flourish.

Power Women bloggers by BIGADDA is a tribute to the essence of women from all walks of life. So let us catch up on BIGADDA to salute these women achievers.

Women's Day: The Rise of Fairer Sex

In the big, bad world of Bollywood, there have been few directors of the fairer sex who have managed to swim against the tide, follow their dreams and make a mark for themselves in this majorly male-dominated industry.

While names like Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair and Gurinder Chaddha have carved a niche for themselves in the West, there are many of our own female folk who have given us some entertaining and some meaningful cinema.

On occasion of Women's Day, we bring to you some of the most well-known Women directors of the present generation who are calling the shots in B-town.

Farah Khan
Farah started out as a choreographer in Bollywood and over the years has made the biggest of stars dance to her tunes (literally). However, even as she was choreographing hits like 'Chaiyya Chaiyya', 'Dhol Bajne Laga', 'Woh Ladki Hai Kahan', there was always a secret filmmaker hidden inside her.

Farah has been an avid movie-buff and it was as early as 21 when she decided that she would one day direct a film. She fulfilled her long-time desire with the smash-hit Main Hoon Naa starring good friend Shah Rukh Khan in the lead.

The two paired up once again to deliver one of the biggest hits ever Om Shanti Om and since then Farah has been a name to reckon with.

Farah surely must be having a tough time considering she is the mother of triplets. However, she does manage it all with a smile on her face which indeed makes us salute the lady.

Read More on Santabanta.com

International Women's Day (8 March 2009)

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women's Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day - a Women's Day - to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women's clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin's suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women's Day was the result.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events. 1911 also saw women's 'Bread and Roses' campaign.

1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen's Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women's strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 - 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women's Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women's rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as 'International Women's Year' by the United Nations. Women's organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women's advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother's Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many feminists from the 1970's know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women's craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as 'Women's History Month'.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women's Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

Forbes' Powerful Women

The women who are changing not only the societies where they work, but also the role of women in power.

Who Is The Most Powerful?
"I don't mind how much my ministers talk," baroness Margaret Thatcher once said, "as long as they do what I say." The former British prime minister long ago defied the conventional wisdom that women can gain power only by studiously working behind the scenes to forge consensus. That's why she and 99 other leaders in politics, business and social causes have made it to the first FORBES ranking of the world's most powerful women.

How do you measure relative power? Realistically, it's hard to quantify the differences between, say, a chief executive and a Supreme Court justice. They wield power in vastly different ways.

But we attempted the impossible--comparing the incommensurable--by creating a power scorecard. For each candidate we came up with a numerical weight defined by her title and résumé; the size of the economic sphere in which she wields power (a foundation is measured by its endowment, a country by its GDP); and the number of global media mentions. We threw in some subjective adjustments--more weight to a current head of state than a former one, for instance. Finally, we sought the advice of the pros who study women at Catalyst, a nonprofit research group in New York, and Laura Liswood, secretary general of the Council of Women World Leaders, who helped vet candidates.

Is this approach arbitrary? Sure. But it turned up lots of surprising names often overlooked. That includes women who have broken through the glass ceiling, such as Christine Lagarde (No. 76), a Frenchwoman who runs the law firm Baker &McKenzie. We also got reacquainted with famous do-gooders, like Queen Rania of Jordan (No. 13) and Carol Bellamy (No. 95), head of Unicef. Corporate leaders caught our eye, too, like Ho Ching (No. 24), the most powerful woman executive in Singapore.

--With research by Cecily Fluke, Lesley Kump and Deron Browne.

The Top Ten
1 Condoleezza Rice National Security Adviser, U.S.
2 Wu Yi Vice Premier, China
3 Sonia Gandhi President, Congress Party, India
4 Laura Bush First Lady, U.S.
5 Hillary Rodham Clinton Senator, U.S.
6 Sandra Day O'Connor Supreme Court Justice, U.S.
7 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice, U.S.
8 Megawati Sukarnoputri President, Indonesia
9 Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo President, Philippines
10 Carleton S. Fiorina Chairwoman and Chief Executive, Hewlett-Packard, U.S.