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Anuradha Pal has always been among the strongest advocates for women’s
empowerment. Catalysed by her own challenges and experiences, Anuradha formed STREE
SHAKTI –
India’s first all-girls Classical band in 1996, to provide a platform to and
inspire other talented girls and women who were similarly discriminated against. Her team
members credit her with boosting their confidence, uniting gifted female Musicians (Hindustani,
Carnatic Classical and folk, Vocalists, instrumentalists and percussionists), creating career
opportunities, thereby inspiring many more girls, through Stree Shakti concerts in
prestigious festivals across the world.
She wrote the lyrics ‘Khud ko tu Pehchaan de’ and composed the music and anthem
for
the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt of India’s Nari Shakti campaign in March 2018,
in
the service of the nation, the girl child and the female entrepreneurs & professionals. The
Anthem
celebrates the power of Stree Shakti and inspires women to contribute to India’s glory across
the
world.
FIRST ALL-GIRLS CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL BAND
STREE SHAKTI ANTHEM
During the cold wave in North India in Feb 2021, Anuradha
distributed warm blankets to over 200 houses in Kasniyawad village near Udaipur and provided
some medical relief to poor children & women from the Bhil community.
With the terrible second wave of Covid-19, Anuradha realised that several poor women who had
lost
their husbands, or were abandoned/ disabled and destitute would be most terribly impacted. With
the
extended lockdown on cultural events, these impoverished women with 4 to 5 children each, were
struggling to survive, without any education/ skills or support of any male member.
Under the Stree Shakti URJA initiative we provided these marginalised, widowed, old, disabled
and destitute women the energy – URJA, which is synonymous with the gift of food ration. We
transferred money to our team members in the villages around Barmer, Rajasthan who got Ration
and
groceries kits packed, each containing 10 kgs of wheat flour, 3 kgs of rice, 2 kgs of pulses,
Tea, 2
kgs of sugar, spices like chilli, turmeric, coriander and salt along with soap and masks. Then
our
team drove to over 12 villages and personally delivered these kits to the homes of 50 poor,
disabled, widowed or old women to energise the Shakti of these Strees.
In November 2020, we sent food rations to 20 families from the Bhopa Community around
Jaisalmer, to brighten up their Diwali.
Our Stree Shakti – URJA project is ongoing and budget permitting, we plan to send food kits &
medical help to marginalised women and unemployed poor, across remote villages in India.
Distributing blankets & food ration to 200 Bhil tribal women.
Providing free medical assistance to Bhil women & children.
Delivered food ration to 20 Bhopa families to brighten up their Diwali.
Distributing nutritious food to young Bhil children.
Delivered food ration to 50 poor, disabled & aged women.
In October 2020, Tabla Vidushi Anuradha Pal had instituted the Padmashri
M. T. Vyas Stree Shakti award (in memory of her grandfather – Great educationist and freedom
fighter) to encourage young girls towards Indian Music/ Dance and Social Service.
Applications were invited from all over the country and the winner was awarded by then Union
Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, where he also released the book The
Teacher and the Taught', (written by Shri M. T. Vyas) among a panel of eminent educationists
and scholars. Edited by noted painter and writer, Ila Pal , ‘The Teacher and the Taught’
specifically enshrines principles for women’s education, empowerment and equality and was
hailed as a visionary document and precursor to NEP 2020.
She wrote The Padmashri M. T. Vyas Stree Shakti award 2021 was presented in a grand function
to 4 young girls from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh & Maharashtra for pursuing
IndianMusic/ Dance & being actively involved in social service initiatives like preserving &
propagating folk & tribal art forms, raising awareness about climate change, female foeticide,
sustainable development, Cancer awareness; on the International Day of the Girl Child.
2022 AWARDEES
DR. RP NISHANK ON ANURADHA PAL
Lauded as ‘one of India’s most influential female musicians’, ‘Woman of Substance’, by
prestigious
institutions like BBC, Encyclopedia Britannica & Indian media & corporate houses, she has been
the
Brand
Ambassador of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Yojana since 2017.
In her role as Brand Ambassador of BBBP, she inspired 1 lakh villagers in Sangli, Maharashtra
towards
gender equality and education in 2017, through her Tabla Jugalbandi recital
and Anthem, emphasising
self-reliance, education and female empowerment. Continuing to inspire young girls and the
youth towards
self-empowerment, character development and building self-esteem, she has given
lectures & presented
Tabla Jugalbandi performances at TEDx (Delhi, Vadodara, Mumbai), IIT, IIM, NMIMS, Ruia College
(Mumbai),
Sri Agrasen Kanya PG College (Varanasi), Rebel Girls Interactive (Delhi) etc.
SAVE THE GIRL CHILD
INSPIRING 1 LAKH VILLAGERS