Empower girls through education: Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Wednesday emphasised the need for quality education for girls, along with their safety, stating that a conducive environment must be created to allow them to fully participate and contribute in social, economic, cultural and political spheres.

Speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations at Prem Chand Markanda SD College for Women, Jalandhar, Governor Kataria highlighted the vital role girls played as the foundation of society. He stressed the need to empower them through education and provide them with the tools to realise their dreams. He said women possessed immense potential and, when given the right direction, could achieve great heights.

The Governor remarked that India’s history was filled with examples of women’s contributions and, even today, women were working shoulder-to-shoulder with men in several fields, including politics, military, police, sports and arts. He emphasised that no field had been untouched by women’s competence.

The Governor praised the college’s 50 years of contribution to girls’ education and offered his best wishes for future success. The event also saw the release of a college souvenir and the recognition of young entrepreneurs under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Governor Kataria was honoured by the college’s governing body, and stalls set up by students were showcased.

Principal Pooja Prashar thanked the Governor for being a part of the occasion. A soul-stirring classical music performance was given by Anu Bala, a faculty member. The audience was also treated to a rendition of the ‘Radha Krishna Raas Leela’, a dance performance.

In his closing remarks, Naresh Markanda, secretary of the college management committee, extended his felicitations to the college community on the historic occasion and conveyed his gratitude to the Governor for his presence.

The event was attended by Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal, SDM Randeep Singh, Satish Kumar of Swavlambi Bharat Abhiyan, Siddharth Sharma of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Vinay Kumar, Adviser to the Cooperative Department, Haryana Government, Vijay Gulati, organisation secretary of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir) and KD Bhandari, metropolitan director of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.