Mar 2017 | Hartek Group Celebrates Women’s Day by Honoring Achievers who Fought All Odds to Break Gender Stereotypes

Ø Chandigarh Mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal honours the outstanding go-getters with mementos, commendation certificates and cash award, says such women ‘pride of our society, role models

Chandigarh, March 8, 2017: In a glowing tribute to womanhood on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Chandigarh-based Hartek Group, one of India’s fastest growing concerns in the power sector, today honoured women achievers from the region who have stood against the tide, broken male bastions and never looked back.

At a special “Celebrating Womanhood” felicitation ceremony organised here by women employees of the Hartek Group, Chandigarh Mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal honoured the outstanding women achievers with mementos, commendation certificates and cash awards. Appreciating the initiative taken by the Hartek Group, the Mayor said, “Such women are the pride of our society. We should draw attention to their inspiring success stories at every given opportunity so that they act as role models for other women.”

The awardees included Manjit Kaur, an ambulance driver in Jalandhar who forayed into male bastion by taking up this job nine years ago to support her family after her husband suffered a paralytic attack, Manpreet Kaur, who broke yet another male bastion by becoming a bus conductor two years ago but not before facing stiff resistance from her family members, Dolly, who works as a security guard at a city hotel where she also does night shifts to support her family of five, and Radha Devi, the sole breadwinner of her family who has been running a tea stall in Sector 34,
Chandigarh, for the past 10 years to repay her family’s loan and support her seven siblings.

Ms. Keerti H Singh, Director, HR, Hartek Group congratulates the entire women team at HARTEK for being the spirit behind the ‘Celebrating Womanhood’ ceremony. “We are extremely proud of our women force for taking up this initiative and observe Women’s Day in such a wonderful manner. Women are equal partners in India’s growth story, and we need to empower them to empower the New India.” she said.

Narrating how adversity brought out the real fighter in her, Manjit said, “Nine years ago, my life crashed into chaos when my husband suffered a paralytic attack. But I stood as a rock to take on the challenges life had brought my way. I worked as a maid in houses till I had enough money to buy an ambulance of my own.”

But as Manjit soon realised, working as an ambulance driver is not easy if you are a woman, especially at night. “I have been attacked a number of times while on night duty, but my fighting spirit has kept me going. I also faced a lot of opposition from my brothers who were dead against this job,” said Manjit.

The Hartek Group had observed Women’s Day last year by organizing a free breast cancer screening and awareness camp in association with the PGI at the Anganwadi in Bapu Dham Colony, Chandigarh.