To celebrate Woman’s Day on March 8, The Navhind Times aired a special edition of Talk from the Heart aptly titled, Women of Substance. The episode aired on the Goa 365 channel and featured principal of Sharada Mandir School, Sharmila Umesh; Chair-person, Child Welfare Committee, Esther Roe Torres; assistant Public Prosecutor, Cyndiana Silva and gynaecologist and obstetrician, Dr. Sawani Surlekar.
Coming from varied fields, the participants all strong, confident and assured women have impacted the global vision of what health, wellness and empowerment looks like with their contributions. The talk commenced with each guest spoking about her journey, how it began and what it has been so far. “As a gynaecologist I deal with women when they are at their most vulnerable moments at times. Helping these women has been what I have always wanted to do,” said Dr. Surlekar who was the obstetrician for the first Covid positive woman in the private sector. “My aim is to give non-judgemental care to women of all ages and help and empower them to make life-choices concerning their health. I believe true empowerment comes when a woman is mentally strong enough to take decision about her finances, health and her overall life,” she added.
Chair-person, Child Welfare Committee, Esther Roe was born and brought up in Bombay and shared how those formative years shaped her to be the woman she is today. “I grew up in a chawl and there were people from different communities and states living there. All of us were struggling and striving to make our dreams come true. And it was here that I realised that if I wanted to change the narrative I would have to resume my studies,” said Roe Torres who had to give up her education due to the financial situation at home and also to shoulder the responsibility of looking after her younger siblings. “My mother was a domestic help in the Gulf and there was no one to look after my brothers after my grandparents passed away,” she said. At the age of 35, she then resumed her studies and today is helping children and women in distress.
Various pertinent topics were discussed like mentors, opportunities for women, love, guidance, taking risks, speaking up, living in your own skin, giving back to society, etcetera.
