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Lessons in women power
The Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls Higher Secondary School celebrates the year of the senior citizen with a mega project — 50th annual exhibition.
Founded by the Maharaja of Vizianagaram in 1869, this school located in the heart of Mylapore, has an interesting history. Though the management kept changing hands till 1930 when Sir P.S. Sivaswamy Ayyar took over the reins, the quality of education offered here remained consistently high. After 1930, the school made a mark as a first rate educational institution under the able guidance of president S. Varadachariar, secretary K. Rangaswamy Ayyar and S. Chellammal, headmistress. After the Centenary celebrations in 1968, the institution has greatly contributed to the cause of women's education, adapting itself to the winds of change in a constructive manner.
During the school's three-day annual exhibition (the theme was "aging") inaugurated on November 24, the Joint Action Council for Women (JACW), a prominent women's activist group, was given space to hold a poster exhibition to create awareness among the public about the issues and challenges constantly faced by women. For the past 18 years, the organisation has been tirelessly striving to promote the development, status and dignity of women and raise consciousness of their problems, through various measures.
In 1987, the JACW had organised a travelling poster exhibition "to raise public awareness on gender bias and the need for gender justice in our society." After its inauguration in March 1987, on International Women's Day, the exhibition has travelled all over Tamil Nadu spreading its message in the rural pockets, in high schools in Chennai and district towns.
The topics covered by these posters are — violence against women, gender bias in our society, women and politics and law, societal attitudes towards women as well as the reasons, which obstruct their true empowerment.
Over the past 10 years, these posters have been constantly renovated and updated. Students from the Department of Fine Arts, Stella Maris College, and the College of Arts and Crafts, have crafted the posters, which effectively and convincingly spread the intended message.
The students, teachers and visitors to the exhibition at the Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls High School auditorium, found the posters provocative and voicing their general attitude towards women's empowerment.
In a function organised by the school authorities, principal Mrs. Nirmala introduced the organisation JACW and acknowledged the contributions of the founders, Mrs. Sakuntala Balaraman and Radha Sridhar. In fact, Radha Sridhar happens to be an old student, having won the prestigious "Model Girl" shield while passing out.
It seemed providential that even after her lifetime, a venture initiated by Radha should find visibility in the portals of her alma mater.
About 6,000 students (including three Corporation schools and private schools) visited the show. Viewing the 61 posters that were displayed with Tamil captions was definitely an educative experience for students.
PREMA SRINIVASAN
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