"Take The Veil Off"- Ankita Kamble, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay

Pat came the reply "You have more freedom than the men did during our times."

Her reply did not surprise me, instead it jolted me to a realisation. Today, we are free to work wherever we want and wear whatever we want. We can travel the world and live in different geographies. We can date and choose to opt out of a marriage. We have seats reserved for us in trains and busses and metros. Quotas and reservations in schools and colleges. Organisations want diversity.

So is that what we call ‘freedom’. Is that what we have strived for?

Alas! I beg to differ.

The employment opportunities have increased manifold but the glass ceiling still exists. We can carry off that pretty dress but embracing it without experiencing the discomfort of the constant ogling in public still seems like a distant dream. Taking autos with the drivers adjusting the mirror, makes reaching the destination the least of our concerns. We don’t live with deadlines but can we stay out late without giving our parents a heart attack. Think!

After being brought up by the strongest woman I have known and witnessing the sexist world around I thought my journey would be different since I belong to a new generation. But what can I say? I'm not so sure now that I contemplate.

Is it our fear that stops us from breaking off? Or our parents who protect the daughters instead of empowering their sons?  Is it the administration that’s crippling us with all apportionment?

So many questions but the answer remains the same.

You are responsible.

I don’t want this piece to be another sob story about the mistreatment of women in our society because I have witnessed some ladies breaking barriers like no other.

The women I am talking about aren’t CEO’s of big multinational firms or some political leaders. These are the women I grew up with.

The ‘kaku’ who took care of 10 other children so she could provide for her own. The ‘didi’ who did household chores for 10 hours straight to make sure her children had a better future. The tutor who’s constant cajoling and hard work made sure her students did well while giving moral lessons. My school teacher whose motivational talks resonate in my head every time I want to give up. And at last but not the least my ‘aaji’ who raised the most amazing woman in my life. Her values and principles made us what we are.

These women inspired a timid reserved girl and made her capable of facing the world with full throttle.

Not afraid of breaking the barriers and questioning the norms or competing with the men to break the gender prejudice.

I believe now it's time to take our previous generations efforts forward to improve and take what we are worth. They took the veil off, it’s about time we all do

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