Anuradha Pal’s Stree Shakti
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.
Padmashri M. T. Vyas Stree Shakti award
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, culturists 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 by Nishankji.
The Padmashri M. T. Vyas Stree Shakti award 2021 was presented in a grand online function to 4 young girls from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh & Maharashtra who are practising musicians and doing social service. This function also featured a panel discussion on ‘Women Achievers… against all odds‘ with Luminaries like Dr Kiran Bedi, Usha Uthup, Shaina NC, Anup Jalota, Sandeep Marwah, Nanni Singh moderated by Lt Col A Sekhar with several dignitaries from the fields of Education, Arts, culture and Business.
Stree Shakti URJA
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.
