The Centre for Women’s Studies, School of Social Sciences, UoH organized its annual Savitribai Phule Memorial Lecture on 3rd of January, Wednesday at the Auditorium of the School of Humanities. The Savitribai Phule Memorial Lecture is an annual lecture organized in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, which invites prominent scholars and activists working in the field of Women Studies.
The Annual Lecture for this year was delivered by a prominent Transgender rights activist Dr Akkai Padmashali. The lecture was titled ‘Access to Social Justice: Continuing Challenges’. Reflecting on Savitibai’s ideas on the emancipatory potential of education, Dr. Akkai delivered a passionate account of the liberatory promise encompassed in Savitribai’s vision of education. She recalled Savitribai Phule’s contribution in democratizing education. India being a conglomerate of various distinct identities, these identities construct our access to education. The LGBTQIA+ community in India, had to fight a long battle against their decriminalization. Victories at the judgements like the NALSA v Union of India that uphold the right for self-identification: Navtej Johar v Union of India that read down the section 377 were legal battles that withhold constitutional morality. While concluding on the recent judgment against the legalising of the same-sex marriage, she appealed for the need of representation for the community in legislation. This political representation would come through the collective solidarities of these conglomerate marginalized identities and through imbibing constitutional morality. The Head of the Centre, Prof. K Suneetha Rani spoke about the Savitribai Phule Memorial Lecture and the annual discussions around various issues on Women and Gender. The event was attended by students and faculties through both online and offline mode.