Manasi Pradhan

Manasi Pradhan
Born	(1962-10-04) 4 October 1962 Banapur, Khordha district, Odisha
Nationality	Indian
Education	M. A. in Odia literature, LL.B.
Alma mater	Utkal University, G.M. Law College, Puri
Occupation	Women's Rights Activist, Author and Poet
Organization	Nirbhaya Vahini, OYSS Women, Nirbhaya Samaroh
Notable work	Urmi-O-Uchchwas, Akasha Deepa, Swagatika
Movement	Honour for Women National Campaign
Awards	Stree Shakti Puraskar 2013 Outstanding Women Award 2011

Manasi Pradhan (born 4 October 1962) is an Indian women activist and author who received the Rani Lakshmibai Stree Shakti Puraskar in 2013. She is the founder of Honour for Women National Campaign, a nationwide movement to end violence against women in India. ^[1][2][3][4] Along with Mary Prema Pierick, global head of the Missionaries of Charity, she won the 'Outstanding Women Award' in 2011. ^[5][6]

Pradhan is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the 21st century global feminist movement. She is frequently featured among World’s top feminist authors and activists by prestigious international publications and organizations. ^[7][8]

She is the founder of Nirbhaya Vahini, Nirbhaya Samaroh and OYSS Women. ^[9][10] She has served on the panel of Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) for India ^[11] and Inquiry Committee of the National Commission for Women. ^[5]

Early life and education

Pradhan was born to a very poor family in a remote village called Ayatapur in Banapur block of Khordha district, Odisha.^[5] She was the eldest among two daughters and a son born to Hemalata Pradhan and Godabarish Pradhan. Her father was a farmer and mother a house wife.

Female education was considered a major taboo in most rural areas of Banapur then. Girls were rarely allowed to attend high school. After completing her middle school in the village, there was strong pressure to end her studies. Further, there was no high school in the nearby areas.

She traveled 15 km daily, amidst hilly terrain and swamp, to the only high school in the entire region, to emerge as the first woman to pass high school examination in her village.^[5]

After completing her schooling from Patitapaban High School in Gambharimunda, the family shifted to Puri for her college education. With little earning from the village farmland, it became difficult to sustain and the burden of the entire family fell on her shoulder. Soon after passing the intermediate examination, she had to work to support her family and her studies. She earned a B.A. in Economics from Government Women’s College, Puri, and M.A. in Odia literature from Utkal University. She obtained Bachelor of Laws from G.M. Law College, Puri.^[12]

President of India Pranab Mukherjee bestowing the 2013 Rani Lakshmibai Stree Shakti Puraskar on Manasi Pradhan at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on 8 March 2014.^[13]

Career

She worked with the finance department, Govt. of Odisha and Andhra Bank for a short period but left both to pursue her own passion. In October 1983, at the age of 21, she began her own printing business and a literary journal. In few years time, the business grew exponentially, putting her in the league of few successful women entrepreneurs of her time.^[14]

Activism

Founder Manasi Pradhan along with Sonal Mansingh, Mohsina Kidwai, Saroja Vaidyanathan and Kum Uma Sharma at the inauguration of 2015 Nirbhaya Samaroh held on April 9, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

In 1987, she founded OYSS Women. The initial motive was to help girl students achieve higher education and develop them as future leaders in the society. OYSS Women has been organizing leadership workshops, education and vocational training camps, legal awareness and self-defense camps, nurturing thousands of young women as prospective leaders in their chosen field. ^[15]

Apart from the above, the organization undertakes numerous activities and events and is widely credited for pioneering contribution in empowering women. The organization is also spearheading the Honour for Women National Campaign.^[16]

Honour for Women National Campaign

Manasi Pradhan at 2016 New York Times Women in the World Summit

In November 2009, she launched the Honour for Women National Campaign, a nationwide movement to end violence against women in India. The movement has been instrumental in galvanizing the nation against women atrocities.^[17] The movement employs a multi-pronged strategy to fight the menace of violence against women in India.

It uses a plethora of vehicles i.e. women’s rights stall, women’s rights festival, women’s rights meets, women’s rights literature, audio-visual displays, street plays etc. to raise awareness on legal and institutional provisions to fight atrocities on women. ^[18][19]

On the other hand, it puts pressure on the state by mobilizing public opinion and sustained campaigning for institutional changes and correctional measures to contain violence against women. ^[20]

In 2013, after a four year long churning involving a series of national seminars, workshops and consultations involving stakeholders from across India, the movement came up with a detailed draft charting its fight to end violence against women.

In 2014, the movement released a Four-Point Charter of Demand for all state governments of India. In the same year, it launched Nirbhaya Vahini, consisting of over 10,000 volunteers spread across India to mobilize public opinion and engage in a sustained campaign for implementation of its four-point charter of demand.^[21][22]

Four-Point Charter of Demand

Manasi Pradhan as an woman entrepreneur in 1998

In 2014, the Honour for Women National Campaign headed by Manasi Pradhan released a four-point charter of demand for all state governments of India. The charter forms a cornerstone of the movement and has led several state governments to make suitable amendments.

1. Complete clamp down on liquor trade

2. Self-defense training for women as part of educational curriculum

3. Special protection force for women security in every district

4. Fast-track court and special investigating & prosecuting wing in every district^[23]

Literary works

Manasi Pradhan is an acclaimed author and poet. Her fourth book ‘Urmi-O-Uchchwas’ (ISBN 81-87833-00-9) has been translated into eight major languages.^{[11][24][25][26]}

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manasi Pradhan.

• http://www.thestatesman.net/news/43178-courage-rewarded.html
• http://presidentofindia.nic.in/pdfs/pr080314.pdf
• http://www.orissapost.com/epaper/080314/p2.htm

See also

• Honour for Women National Campaign

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