Madurai Rising

On the 14th, EKTA and Lady Doak College's Centre for Women's Studies, along with our collaborating organizers (People's Watch, Department of Communication MKU, TNSF, Deepam, Koodu, WWSS, Vasuki Seva Nilayam, and the TN Handicapped Association-South Zone), successfully executed Madurai Rising as part of the global One Billion Rising campaign. This event has been a priority for the past several months, and we were happy to celebrate with participants from across the city, including several universities. Speakers included Our own Thirumigu Bimla Chandrasekar, director of EKTA; Thirumigu Anshul Mishra, IAS (District Collector, Madurai); Thirumigu Jacinthu Martin, B.L. (Madurai Legal Services Authority); Thirumigu R. Thirunavukarasu, M.Sc., B.L. (Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Madurai); and Thirumigu Dr. V. Chinnaiah, Co-ordinator, National Service Scheme, MKU, Madurai. We also enjoyed some wonderful cultural performances that definitely fulfilled the "dance" mandate of the One Billion Rising campaign! 

Finally, all participants joined together to release OBR balloons into the sky, followed by enthusiastic dancing, cheering, and singing. Through the event, we hope to have diffused knowledge, inspiration, and a sense of solidarity throughout the community, with a vision of a world free of violence against women.