Girls………..The underrated angels

          It is 7^th of June 2018. A heart breaking news of this morning showing a woman who came in a car and literally threw a 2 days old baby girl (probably of her own) on the road and rushed away, is being shown on TV.(1) After that, I am feeling guilty of being a part of this so called rapidly developing society. I now can deeply feel the need of discussing, what Indian girls really are & what they are capable of. Please forgive me if I appear intense at some places & please be patient, I have a lot to say.

          India is a highly populous country with approximately 1.2 billion of population as per 2011 census data. Around 943 females are there per every 1000 males while only 919 female children (0-6 years) per 1000 male children.(2) The biggest matter of shame is this female child sex ratio has continually decreased since independence with 976 in 1961, 964 in 1971,962 in 1981, 943 in 1991, 927 in 2001 & 919 in 2011.(2)

         This trend clearly indicates the rapidly deteriorating moral values &  mental status of the society of so called largest democracy of the world. Various reasons are attributed to this devastating decline in child sex ratio, such as neglect of the girl child, high maternal mortality, female infanticide (killing of very young girl child) and most recently growing female feticide (killing of unborn female child). Various diagnostic procedures like amniocentesis, ultrasonography etc. are misused to determine the sex of the fetus (unborn child) and facilitate this selective female genocide. (3) Only for these reasons India is ranked at 108 out of 144 countries  in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 in which India’s position was 141(one among last 4) in health & survival and 139(one among last 6) in Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women parameters.(4)

          While the perception of incapability, inferiority & lack of independent existence of female gender is growing every day in the minds of many under educated fools, the Indian women have continuously shown their might in almost every field of human achievements. To cite few of recent examples, girls pass rate in 2018 CBSC 10^th exam was 88.67% as compared to 85.32% of that of boys in which 3 out of four toppers securing 499 marks from 500 were girls.(5–7) Similar scenario was found in CBSC 12^th 2018 results where 88.31% girls passed as compared to 78.99 % of boys. Interestingly the top three spots were also clinched by girls only.(8) Similarly girls have snatched the topper rank in NEET 2018, 3% higher pass rate in ISC & CHSE +2 science exam and the never ending list of higher ability & credibility goes on.(9–11) Be it the case of Indiara Gandhi in politics, Kiran bedi  in police services, Kalpana Chawla in space missions, Sarla Thakral in aviation, or Bachendri Pal to climb Everest, the modern Indian women have demonstrated their unmatched potential in almost every field.(12) Not only in modern times, women have a golden track in Indian History too. Only the names of Ghosha, Lopamudra, Maitreyi, Gargi etc. of ancient India & Mother Teresa, Rani Lakshmibai, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and a similar never ending list of Indian women achievers,  are enough to explain the contribution of women in making India prosporus time and again.(13–15)

          But a woman can never be judged only by her social or professional activities as this is just a small fragment of her overall capabilities. In her all forms like mother, sister, wife, daughter, grandmother etc. she keeps on doing all house hold works, boosts confidence & stability of others, supports morally as well as emotionally, understands every ones needs, feelings, pains, disturbances and always is the quickest to help. She gives birth, nurtures, protects, teaches, sacrifices, tolerates or in short creates human beings and still we wonder, where is God who have created us. I am not eligible enough to explain what a woman really does for us.

          Those who argue, Indian culture is male dominated and women have always been underrated, please read history carefully. Even in Hindu mythology, maa Durga or Aadisakti who is the mother of the trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh) is treated as the most ancient, respected & powerful of all Gods & Goddesses.  Be it Draupadi of Mahabharata or Sita of Ramayana, men have never hesitated to fight & die for their women’s dignity. Even in the golden era of Indian history, women have played the key roles for India’s prosperity & men have always protected them, even at the cost of wars like raajputs, marathas etc. Perhaps this history has been transmitted as genetic memories in all our DNAs for which we still can feel the spontaneous flow of love & respect in presence of our women, although the culture is corrupted. After all, without women we would not have even existed at first place.

           Still in present day, in place of being grateful, we are misbehaving, assaulting, humiliating, harassing & even killing them before being borne. Although having greater abilities and potential, women constitute only 38% of health care professionals, 26% of MBA applicants, 11% of engineers, 10% of judges, 11% of MPs & 9% of MLAs  in our country.(16–20)  I believe that the problem lies at all levels, whether its blind belief of parents, or traditional myths & cultural misinterpretations of the society, lack of proper policies of governments or improper presentation of women by media, everything is to blame. The time is coming, when women will grab their rightful position in the society even if they have to leave their most adorable feminine traits behind. To protect the beauty of our age old culture & tradition, we must act promptly to preserve the dignity of our Indian women and before rejecting them, we must ask ourselves, do we even deserve them…..think again!!!

Further reading:

1.       Breaking 20-20: Watch top 20 news of the morning [Internet]. Zee News. 2018 [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: http://zeenews.india.com/video/india/breaking-20-20-watch-top-20-news-of-the-morning-2114450.html

2.       Chapter-1.pdf [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/PCA_Highlights/pca_highlights_file/India/Chapter-1.pdf

3.       Declining sex-ratios – a matter of concern | UNICEF [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: http://www.unicef.in/Story/1129/Declining-sex-ratios-a-matter-of-concern

4.       Global Gender Gap Index 2017: India ranks 108th [Internet]. Current Affairs Today. 2017 [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/global-gender-gap-index-2017-india-ranks-108th-11201749666.html

5.       CBSE Exam Results 2018 [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: http://cbseresults.nic.in/

6.       CBSE 10th result 2018: CBSE Class 10 results declared; 86.70% pass - Times of India ► [Internet]. The Times of India. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/cbse-10th-result-cbse-class-10-results-2018-declared-live-updates/articleshow/64366889.cms

7.       Livemint. CBSE 10th result 2018: Class 10 results decline for 2nd consecutive year, 86.70% pass [Internet]. https://www.livemint.com/. 2018 [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://www.livemint.com/Education/hgwcvIC4Vq9KeWIy6AdD5K/CBSE-10th-result-2018-declared-at-cbsenicin-pass-percenta.html

8.       IndiaToday.in, Delhi N, May 26 2018, Ist U 13:50, Follow, Author E, et al. All categories’ pass percentages for CBSE class 12 results 2018 [Internet]. India Today. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/pass-percentage-cbse-class-12-results-2018-1242230-2018-05-26

9.       NEET Result 2018 Declared At Cbseneet.nic.in, Cbseresults.nic.in: Live Updates [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://www.ndtv.com/education/neet-result-2018-live-updates-1861968

10.     ICSE, ISC Board Result 2018 declared @ cisce.org; girls outshine boys - Times of India [Internet]. The Times of India. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/icse-isc-board-result-2018-to-be-declared-shortly-cisce-org-live-updates/articleshow/64157565.cms

11.      CHSE Odisha Result 2018: Girls outshine boys in plus two science exam - Times of India [Internet]. The Times of India. [cited 2018 Jun 7]. Available from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/chse-odisha-result-2018-girls-outshine-boys-in-plus-two-science-exam/articleshow/64232574.cms

12.     Vartak P. Women’s Day 2018: A Historical List of First Women in All Fields in India [Internet]. Free Press Journal. 2018 [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: http://www.freepressjournal.in/featured-blog/womens-day-2017-a-historical-list-of-first-women-in-all-fields-in-india/1029741

13.     40 Greatest Women From Indian History [Internet]. Owlcation. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Greatest-Indian-Women-From-History

14.     Subudhi R. 7 Trailblazing Women In Indian History [Internet]. Culture Trip. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/7-trailblazing-women-in-indian-history/

15.     Das S. Read About the Famous Female Figures of Vedic India [Internet]. ThoughtCo. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://www.thoughtco.com/famous-female-figures-of-vedic-india-1770399

16.     Women in Engineering Statistics - January 2018 - created by Sarah Peers_0.pdf [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://www.wes.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-01/Women%20in%20Engineering%20Statistics%20-%20January%202018%20-%20created%20by%20Sarah%20Peers_0.pdf

17.     Economic Survey 2018: Women’s political participation in India low, need more - The Financial Express [Internet]. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://www.financialexpress.com/budget/economic-survey-2018-womens-political-participation-in-india-low-need-more/1035109/

18.     Application Trends 2016: Regional Spotlight on India [Internet]. Graduate Management Admission Council. [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: http://www.gmac.com/market-intelligence-and-research/research-insights/application-trends/application-trends-2016-regional-spotlight-on-india.aspx

19.     IndiaSpend. Only 10% Women Judges In India’s Higher Courts [Internet]. Everylifecounts.NDTV.com. 2017 [cited 2018 Jun 8]. Available from: https://everylifecounts.ndtv.com/10-women-judges-indias-higher-courts-10423

20.     International Programme on Chemical Safety, editor. Diquat: health and safety guide. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1991. 32 p. (Health and safety guide).