47 gender-sensitivity awardees from six South Asian countries & India at South Asia Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity 2023
Mumbai: “I want to tell all the women gathered to never lose courage and give up any fight for justice,” exhorted social worker-activist Bhanwari Devi of Rajasthan. She was speaking soon after being conferred the Laadli Iconic Rural Feminist Award at the 3rd edition of the South Asia Laadli Media and Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (SALMAAGS). As the whole auditorium rose in admiration many were left moist-eyed.
SALMAAGS also spotlighted several exceptional women who have made significant strides in their respective fields with special awards like Laadli of the Century – Vimla Patil; Lifetime Achievement Award – Aruna Raje Patil (“I’ve had to work doubly hard to earn the respect of the men around me”); Laadli Gender Champion – Network of Women in Media, India (“We need to stand in solidarity with each other to draw strength from that support”); Laadli Women Behind the Scene – Konkona Sen-Sharma (“Women need to just get a fair chance and they will be able to achieve”); Laadli Theatre Award – Nadira Babbar (“It feels great to be recognised by this platform”);
Laadli Extraordinaire – Women in Cinema Collective (“We hope this award empowers others to speak up”) were presented to much applause and cheering.
The SALMAAGS – on December 12th 2023 – recognised 47 stellar contributions in the media space across seven South Asian nations including India. The event was a roaring success with the who’s who from the world of cinema, media, advertising, activism and business in attendance.
SALMAAGS celebrates the media’s role in shaping perceptions towards gender, aiming for a fairer society. An initiative of Population First, a Mumbai-based social impact organisation that has been working for over two decades to promote gender sensitivity in media nationwide, these awards are part of continuing successful collaboration with UNFPA.
Speaking on the occasion, Country Representative for UNFPA India and the Country Director for Bhutan, Ms Andrea Wojnar lavished fulsome praise on Population First for the Laadli initiative. She underlined its importance. “Media can be a powerful force in shaping public opinion and addressing discriminatory social norms. Media through their story telling can empower marginalised voices and promote inclusivity and equality,” she said and added, “UNFPA India is proud to partner with Population First for engaging diverse media to create an environment where women and girls are respected and valued.” She also wished Laadli would continue to achieve greater success in fostering a gender-sensitive media landscape.
SALMAAGS’ collaborating partners this year were Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) and South Asian Women in Media Network (SAWM). These awards – recognise and celebrate 15 exceptional Indian media professionals and honour 11 outstanding journalistic pieces from the South Asia region. They are a way of acknowledging the significant contribution of content creators across literature, advertising, films, and OTT platforms. This year’s awardees include the mini web series Sweet Kaaram Coffee and the feature film Sirf Ek Band Kaafi Hai.
Well known actor Ms. Rasika Dugal who chaired the evening spoke of the immense contribution of gender sensitivity in all aspects of life. She alluded to her stint as a researcher during her speech. “What I learned about gender under Sameera Khan at the NWMI has helped me look at the world around consciously with a gender lens,” she averred.
In her address, CEO Population First, Dr A L Sharada explained why this edition of SALMAAGS was special. “This is the final event under my leadership. After 20 fulfilling years, I’m transitioning to an advisory role from January 1st, 2024,” she said and added, “I’ve led the organisation remotely from Hyderabad since 2020, after I relocated during Covid. I realise that it is time to have a hands-on director. Senior journalist Yogesh Pawar, will be leading Population First from now on. I hope you will extend him the same love, affection and support you’ve given me all these years.”
The event which began with a performance by underprivileged children from the Sanskrita Foundation saw its finale in B Spot Productions’ scintillating Lavani performance where many guests including Rasika Dugal, Dolly Thakore, Suneeta Rao and others joined the artistes on stage, keeping beat in gusto.
