10th Edition of MedscapecapeIndia National Awards & 13th Save the Girl Child Program held on 10th October 2021 virtually, saw the presence of luminares from across the globe who shared their opinions on saving the girl child, Women Empowerment, gender equality and having an equal ratio of both men and women in the society.

 

MedscapeIndia Aryan Medical & Educational Trust  has come a long way relentlessly working on the save the girl  child campaign, women health and women empowerment initiatives for last 18 years initiated by renowned Radiologist and Philanthropist and a visionary Dr. Sunita Dube .On the occasion Dr. Dube shared the 10 point program agenda for the upliftment of poor and underprivileged girl children. She also shared her dream to come up with the Statue of Immunity Research Centre.

 

Addressing the occasion Dr Sunita Dube said,” I think setting up a role model in every field is important which can inspire women. Infact I come from a village background and was the first doctor in the school which my grandfather started. Today, more than 200 girls from that school are getting  educated and  some of them have teaching, become engineers, joined army and have become IAS officer’s. Today, I feel it’s yet another opportunity to set another model for the future by taking the pledge to save the girl child from womb to tomb, that will empower a girl child more. I request more people to join this mission, starting from this platform today.”

 

Save the Girl Child Campaign is in its 13th year which was launched in 2008 by renowned Radiologist, Philanthropist, and social worker Dr. Sunita Dube Founder Chairman MedscapeIndia AMET. This year the campaign has been recreated to “Save the Girl Child from Womb to Tomb ( बेटी बचाओ गर्भ से धरा तक), which signifies the circle of a women’s life from the point of her birth till the time she reaches the final stage of her life.

 

The 10th MedscapeIndia National awards and 13th Save the girl child virtual edition Inaugural session was graced by eminent Dignitaries from the government of India to include the chief guest of the evening the Governor of Maharashtra Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Maharashtra Health Minister Shri Rajesh Tope, Smt.Shri Harsh Vardhan, Former Executive Chairman WHO, Former Union Health Minister, Raghunath Anant Mashelkar former Director-General of CSIR.The program was indeed enlightened with the auspicious presence of the spiritual leader’s Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Guru Swami Chidanand Saraswati.

 

 

His Excellency Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Governor of Maharashtra addressing the occasion said, “I would like to congratulate MedscapeIndia’s initiative to save, nurture and protect the girl child through their initiative ‘Save the girl child from womb to tomb’. The best part about this initiative is that India’s best doctors are associated with this cause. It is the most responsible job in the world to save both mother and child after the birth. Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream to see every child educated is not far, thanks to MedscapeIndia. We belong to a country where girls are treated like Goddess, Medscape India has all my support”

 

 

Shri Rajesh Tope, Hon’ble Minister of Public Health Maharashtra “A girl child deserves a life where she is treated as equal to a boy. And she should be loved and respected like others. She participates in the development and growth of the nation equally. Besides, she works hard for the betterment of society and country. They have also proven their worth and stand equal to boys in every field. Hence, they deserve to survive as their survival means the existence of the human race”

 

Raghunath Anant Mashelkar Former Director General CSIR, “I would like to congratulate MedScapeIndia for ‘Save the girl child from womb to tomb campaign’ and women empowerment initiatives. We need such causes to change the mindset of people and educate them about the importance for gender equality”

 

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati,” said, “How will we keep the nature’s balance if we keep killing girls? India is a progressive and a developing nation, in order to become a developed nation, it is only important for both the sections of the society to work and help the country grow”

 

 

Ms.Radhika Nath Mahendra “Save the girl child from womb to tomb and women empowerment are important issues which needs immediate attention. MedScapeIndia is doing an outstanding job at it. I request everyone to make a change at ground level because no initiative is relevant until people take it seriously”

 

 

The program began with an intriguing session on “My Daughter My State” with inputs from  Hon’ble CM of Goa Shri Pramod Sawant,Hon’ble Health Minister of Delhi Shri Satyendar Kumar Jain, Hon’ble Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare of Madhya Pradesh Dr.Prabhuram Choudhary and Honorable CM of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot. The ministers threw light on their  opinions and contribution on safeguarding women and children in their states, to providing equal work opportunities for women without the gender bias.

 

*Honrable Chief Minister of Goa – Shri Pramod Sawant* said,” This session on my daughter my state which is of utmost importance in the current scenario.It is disheartening to see incidents of female foeticide, gender discrimination against the girl child in some sections of the society. it is the time to come together to stand by the issue of the girl child in women security, their rights to the employment without any basis so as to provide them and enrich the life and status in the society. This event will indeed be the reward in terms of unfolding the professional opportunities for a woman not only in India but globally, while the awards certainly is a great initiative to reward the hero’s of the medical fraternity. Looking forward to the safer and secure the future of the girl child and women across the world.  I wish best of luck for the initiatives to MedscapeIndia.”

 

Honorable CM of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot said, “ It is Indeed heartening  to note that Medscape India has been running ‘ Save the Girl child Campaign’ for a decade at the grass root level. It has been providing healthcare and education besides imparting self- defense training to girls  . Hope that Save the girls child project will go  a long way in Generating awareness among people to save our girl child”

 

Hon’ble Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare of Madhya Pradesh Dr.Prabhuram Choudhary,said “No one can change or deny the role of women in society because she is mother, she is daughter, she is wife. Our government is committed to the protection of female foetus and has made strict laws, so that no one thinks of committing a crime like female feticide”

 

Hon’ble Health Minister of Delhi Shri Satyendar Kumar Jain, said,”  The Delhi government has taken several steps in this direction, such as the Informal Rewards Scheme, under which the government rewards those who provide information about sex determination and sex-based abortion centers, in which maximum information can be given to prevent female feticide”

 

 

The second session on “Save the girl child from  Womb to Tomb saw participants from all walks of life who shared there views on various issues related to wowen and girl child security,women rights and provision for equal work opportunity for both  genders without gender bias.Moderated by Richard Rekhy – KPMG Dubai – Board. To session includes Ms. Roya Rahmani  – Ambassador of Afghanistan, Dr. Ranjana Kumari – Director, Centre for Social Research, Ms.Mrunalini Deshmukh – Renowned Advocate and Dr. Sunita Dube Radiologist,Founder Chairperson MedscapeIndia-AMET.

 

Mr. Richard Rekhy KPMG Dubai Board Member session Moderator said,” A Man and a women are the two wheels of nature,and it’s important that we balance this chariot”

 

Ms. Roya Rahmani  – Ambassador of Afghanistan said,” When you are looking at the equality on the issue of the girl child at its been across so many different aspects form a legal to traditions to economics to cultural,it touches everything.what is important is that you need to look at the issue from all of the aspects”

 

Dr Ranjana Kumari, Director Centre for Social Research said,” There is a very aggressive  campaign at the moment in the country about teenage girls about the menstrual Hygiene issue,as how they have not been given access  to information since ages as it’s considered a taboo.There is a need to provide knowledge to the young girls to prepare them about  their health related issues.”

 

Ms.Mrunalini Deshmukh Renowned Advocate,Said, “The word womb I would say they call ‘Garbh Sanskar’ I believe that can start  with the women. We don’t need a man to tell us what the woman’s role has to be in the society as it’s her that it begins with and there is the need to creating an awareness about it.”

 

 

10th MedscapeIndia National awards,received nominations from across the globe, from the USA, Greece, the UK, Iran, Iraq, and many more, which were scrutinised with an extensive three round process of nomination by MedscapeIndia Eminent Jury and Advisory Committee to include Dr. S. Shantha Kumari President, FOGSI – 2021,Dr. Gautam Saha,President of Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS), Dr. Ravindar Singh,President, Indian Dental Association, Dr. Anil Khurana Chairman Central Council of Homeopathy,Director General Incharge Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Dr. Raju Thomas President Ayurveda Me.dical Association of India (AMAI),Dr. C Amarnath President Indian Radiological & Imaging Association(IRIA).Medcape India Advisory Committee includes Padma Shri Padma Bhushan Awardee Dr.Anil Kohli, Dr.Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, former Director General CSIR, Justice Rakesh Tiwari Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Adish C. Aggarwala President of International Council of Jurists, Ace Ophthalmologist and Eye surgeon, Dr.Quresh Maskati, Ace Physiotherapist Dr.Ali Irani,Brigadier  R R Singh, an Indian Army Veteran, Padma Shri Dr R karthikeyan Former CBI Director, Ms. Radhika Nath Mahendra, Member at the Democratic National Committee,Nanik Rupani Chirman Emeritus of Priyadarshini Academy.

 

This years awards went to Spiritual Guru Shri Shri Ravi Shankar in the category of Excellence in Spiritual Health,Dr. Andy Adam – Excellence in Radiology – Global category, Dr. Jeanne Conry – Excellence in Gynecology – Global category , Dr Kumar M. Dhawale Excellence in Homeopathy, Dr. Vaidya Balendu Prakash for Excellence in  Ayurveda,.Mr. Brett Lee for Excellence in Social contribution – Global Category, Dr. Chad P. Gehani – Excellence in Dentistry – Global category , Dr. Amrit Pattojoshi – Excellence in Psychiatry , Mr. Steve Waugh – Excellence in NGO in Health Care ” – Global category.

 

 

 

Gurudev Shri Ravi Shankar  on receiving the award for the Excellence in Spiritual Health, said in his acceptance speech,” Health is primary wealth and Medscape India has been doing Tremendous  work in saving the girl child, educating and caring for the health of people in the remote corners of our country”

 

Dr. Andy Adam – Excellence in Radiology – Global category,said,” I am Greatly honored that my work has been considered for recognition by Medscape India.”

 

Dr. Jeanne Conry – Excellence in Gynecology – Global category,said,”  I am honored to accept this Award from MedscapeIndia and what a powerful theme it is save the girl child and save the universe. I personally Pledged  to everything  in my power to save the girl child form womb to tomb.”

 

 

Dr. Vaidya Balendu Prakash for Excellence in  Ayurveda – Dr sunita Dubey has been doing a Pioneer work  by establishing Non profitable organization  which is aimed for the empowerment of women worldwide.

 

Mr. Brett Lee for Excellence in Social contribution – Global Category – I Just wanna say Thank you greatly honoured to be this award and congratulations to Dr   Medscape India

 

Dr. Chad P. Gehani – Excellence in Dentistry, said” Global category said,” India is a  very religious Country where women as goddess are worshipped.I feel the need to empower women more than ever before.”

 

Dr. Amrit Pattojoshi – Excellence in Psychiatry, said ”  I would Like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate MedscapeIndia on this great effort towards empowering the girl child.”

 

Mr. Steve Waugh – Excellence in NGO in Health Care in Global category, said,” Thank you so much for this award,I greateful to work with Medscape India on saving the girl child with good health and education.”