JAMMU: Women Empowerment and Development Cell of Government Gandhi Memorial Science College celebrated International Women's Day under the patronage of the Principal, Prof. (Dr.) Romesh Kumar Gupta and the guidance of Prof. Yasmeen Mughal, Convener of the Cell.

The event, centered on this year's theme "Accelerate Action," aimed to highlight the significance of women's empowerment and the need for progressive change in society.

Secretary, J&K Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People (Now PEG) Sapna Kotwal was the Chief Guest.

The programme commenced with a formal welcome address by Prof. Yasmeen Mughal, who emphasized the role of education in empowering women.

The College Principal, Prof. (Dr.) Romesh Kumar Gupta, in his address, appreciated the Committee for organizing the event. He encouraged students to actively participate in initiatives promoting gender equality and creating an inclusive environment for women.

The highlight of the event was a Symposium in which ten speakers across semesters expressed their views on the theme in Dogri, English, Hindi, and Urdu, showcasing their progressive thoughts and linguistic and intellectual diversity.

The symposium provided a platform to young minds to engage in meaningful discussions on women's empowerment.

An Art Exhibition was also organized by the Cell displaying a range of artworks, posters, collages made by talented students Mohd. Zaigham Salaria and Ishit Kaur.

The Postgraduate students from the Department of English also contributed their creative expressions to the exhibition, which was widely appreciated.

Later, a felicitation ceremony was held to recognise the achievements of meritorious students in different fields. For excellence in literary and cultural domains, Manmeet Kour, Sumeet Kumar, Chakshu Sharma, Maithly and Mohd. Ayoub Jan were presented mementos and certificates of appreciation.

Mohammad Zaigham Salaria and Ishit Kaur were felicitated for excellence in Fine Arts. Their artwork on display was highly appreciated by all.

Certificates of Participation were presented to speakers Innayat Kour, Sanchu Devi, Rahul Kumar and Tanisha Sharma.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest shared her inspiring journey, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of women in leadership roles. She encouraged students to break barriers and work towards a more inclusive and equitable society. Her speech resonated deeply with the audience, reinforcing the importance of taking concrete steps towards women's empowerment.

Dr. Revika Arora presented the formal vote of thanks while the proceedings of the programme were managed by Mohd. Ayoub Jan and Maithly-the students of semester VI .

The programme was successfully organised by the dedicated efforts of the organizing committee members, including Dr. Mona Sethi, Dr. Revika Arora, Dr. Neha Mahajan, Prof. Akanksha Parihar, Prof. Reetika Rani, Dr. Nisha, Dr. Preeti Verma, Dr. Rohit Bhardwaj and Dr. Varun Arya.