123 Kolkata: Women empowerment and fighting patriarchy emerged as the predominant theme at The BSS School's 75th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday. The BSS School started its journey in 1950 as a Hindi-medium girls' school, named Balika Shiksha Niketan. Years later, it was renamed Ballygunge Shiksha Niketan.
Calcutta High Court judge Amrita Sinha in her half-hour speech emphasized on women's empowerment and focused on the challenges that women face throughout their lives. She highlighted the challenges women encounter even inside the courtroom. "In the courtrooms where law is supposed to be impartial, I witness that woman often face bias. Their voices are diminished, and they struggle for equal representation. But, at the same time, I also witness something extraordinary. Despite these challenges, women find ways to rise above and create a path for others to follow," said Justice Sinha.
She said strong foundation built in school ensures a bright future. The ‘trek' of a woman starts at home, followed by school days, leading to the bigger professional world, Justice Sinha said.
A special cover by the Indian Post was unveiled during the event. School principal Sunita Sen said, "We made some modifications in the classrooms. A statue of a girl with a notebook was unveiled, symbolising the long journey of the school."
The school management, including president R N Jhunjhunwala, G K Khaitan, Dipti Khaitan, and local councillor Saurav Basu, was present. Justice Sinha also told the students, "Every failure is a step to success. If you do not do well in an exam or fail one class that does not mean the end of the world. Life is full of opportunities, just go out and grab the best one for you. Take it from me, life is not a race but a marathon."