Mumbai 19, 2024: MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai organized an International Women’s Day Celebration on the theme ‘Women, Wellness and Wealth’ with an insightful panel session and a fireside chat at WTC Mumbai.
Ms. Shaina NC, Fashion Designer and Politician delivered a special address as Guest of Honour at the event. Ms. Shaina NC remarked, “Women’s participation is progressively increasing in economy, public administration, and politics.
Today, women are not just considered as vote banks; their representation is improving in political leadership. Yet, women face barriers to making successful careers in politics. Every man and more importantly, every woman should support other women to succeed in their political career, to ensure gender diversity in governance and politics.”
Ms. Aanchal Gupta Kalantri, Life & Relationship Coach and Founder, of Decoding Life with Aanchal moderated a fireside chat with Actor Mr. Zayed Khan and Ms. Malaika Khan during the event. During the fireside chat, while sharing insights from her personal and professional experience,
Ms. Malaika advised the younger generation to craft their life journey instead of attempting to emulate others. She emphasized, “Every individual possesses a unique life story, with its own set of challenges and opportunities. It’s crucial not to shy away from these challenges.
Maintaining self-belief is paramount in today’s competitive landscape.” Ms. Malaika highlighted the pervasive influence of social media on youth, cautioning against its deceptive portrayal of lifestyles that encourage conformity rather than authenticity. While acknowledging the value of entertainment as a stress reliever, she stressed the importance of distinguishing it from reality. She observed, “Today’s world is constantly evolving, and social media can serve as a valuable tool for gathering information.
” Encouraging forward-thinking, Ms. Anchal Gupta Kalantri recommended setting goals for the next five to ten years. She advised individuals to create vision boards and plan medium-term goals, then reverse-engineer their approach. Recognizing the importance of continuous learning and staying informed, she advised youth to remain updated with current affairs through regular reading, particularly daily newspapers.
Speaking with Ms. Aanchal Gupta Kalantri during the same fireside chat, actor Mr. Zayed Khan emphasized the importance of financial independence. He stated, “The sooner the youth grasp the significance of financial independence, the better. They should prioritize long-term wealth generation over short-term money-making endeavors. They must remember that ‘Money talks, and wealth whispers’.
” Ms. Aanchal Gupta Kalantri also moderated an insightful panel session on women’s health, financial planning, and legal rights during the event.
Speaking at the panel session, Dr. Ankesh Sahetya, OB/GYN & Endocrinologists – Pushpa Hospitals suggested women preserve their fertility through egg freezing or embryo freezing so that they can conceive even after late marriage in their life. Dr. Sahetya outlined the importance of regular testing of egg quality through sonography and offered effective tips for women to cope with pre-menopause and post-menopause-related health problems.
Mr. Rahil Parmar, Associate Partner, Lifeline Prime Investment suggested women diversify their investments by investing in gold and equities. He said, “Around 47% of women in urban areas make their own financial decisions in India. Women invest 51% of their savings in bank fixed deposits. Ideally, they should diversify their savings, by investing 10% of their assets in gold and invest a certain proportion in the equity market, based on their risk appetite. Women should also take adequate health insurance to meet unexpected increases in medical expenses.”
Ms. Nirmala Samant Prabhavalkar, Lawyer – at Mumbai High Court & Former Mayor of Mumbai raised awareness about the various legal provisions to enforce women’s right to equal pay, dignity and decency at the workplace, legal remedies against workplace harassment, domestic violence, financial aid for legal proceedings, right to alimony and succession rights. Ms. Prabhavalkar emphasized that while a Will is the most important document to secure succession rights, it is not sufficient. Women should also obtain a probate/succession certificate or a letter of inheritance to contest any claim from other legal heirs for ancestral property.
Ms. Nipa Asharam, Certified Life & Health Coach outlined the importance of having a vision board, the power of manifestation, and the need to adopt an ‘Abundance mentality’ instead of a ‘Scarcity mentality’ to succeed in life. She explained the “3A tool” for women to navigate through challenges and these are: Accept, Allow, and Act.
Ms. Rupali Gurathi Sharma, Founder, of Women Icons of India pointed out that women are gifted with the power of emotional quotient as well as intelligence quotient to navigate through stressful situations in life.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai pointed out, “Women have excelled in every sphere of life, wherever they have taken a step forward. Although we are celebrating Women’s Day once a year, we should support and encourage women every day. Today, the contribution of women is 18% of India’s GDP, 20% in entrepreneurship, and 37% in the labor force; Time is not far before we will have 50% women’s contribution to the overall economy. If we bridge the gender gap in employment, it will add USD 770 billion to Indian GDP by 2025.”
Dr. Kalantri further remarked, “We are proud to honor women achievers across diverse fields. This is the true celebration of Nari Shakti. We need to bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship and workforce to attain the vision of USD 30 trillion economy and Viksit Bharat status by 2047.” Dr. Kalantri suggested the government establish dedicated banks for women entrepreneurs to provide easy access to finance. He also hailed the government for providing 33% reservation for women in Parliament. The event was supported by Women Icons of India, Gift partner- Grain Leather Boutique, Le Pure Chocolatier, Mati, Amisha’s Designer Jewellery, and media partner- Truebrain.
Ms. Shaina NC, Fashion designer, and politician (in the center) is felicitated by Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, WTC Mumbai (Extreme right), Capt. Somesh Batra, Vice-Chairman, WTC Mumbai (second from left), and Ms. Rupa Naik, Executive Director, WTC Mumbai (second from right). Also seen in the picture is Ms. Aanchal Gupta Kalantri, Life & Relationship Coach and Founder, of Decoding Life with Aanchal
Actor Mr. Zayed Khan and Mrs. Malaika Khan being felicitated by Dr. Vijay Kalantri, Chairman, WTC Mumbai (second from the right), and Ms. Rupa Naik, Executive Director, WTC Mumbai (extreme left). Also seen in the picture is Ms. Aanchal Gupta Kalantri, Life & Relationship Coach and Founder, of Decoding Life with Aanchal, and Mr. Vishal Kalantri, Director, of Balaji Infra Projects Limited
