SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) marked International Women’s Day with a grand celebration at the Civic Centre on 8th March,2025. The event, filled with inspiring speeches, cultural performances, and felicitation of achievers, highlighted the role of women in shaping society and the workplace. Mr. Alok Verma, Director In-Charge (DIC), RSP, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Mrs. Namrata Verma, President, Deepika Mahila Sanghati (DMS), Ms. Subhadra Pradhan, former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team, Ms. Jayashree Mohanty, Member, Start-up Task Force, Government of Odisha, & Co-founder of Luminous Infoways and Ms. Sniti Mishra, acclaimed Classical Singer; were present on the dais as the Guests of Honour further enriching the evening. The other esteemed guests of the evening were Mr. Ratan Kumar, DIG (CISF), Mr. Tarun Misra, ED (HR), Mr. Anil Kumar, ED (MM), Mr. M.P. Singh, ED (Mines) and Mr. S. Pal Chowdhury, ED (Projects), Dr. Jayanta Kumar Acharya, CMO In-Charge (M&HS), Mrs. Rita Rani and Mrs. Nabanita Pal Chowdhury, the Vice Presidents of DMS. The function was attended by the CGMs, HoDs, senior officers and large number of employees both men and women.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Alok Verma extended his warm wishes on International Women’s Day, which celebrates the ongoing journey toward gender equality. Sharing personal anecdotes, Mr. Verma spoke about the profound impact women have had on his life, inspiring him to think and act differently. Applauding the contributions of senior women executives at RSP he brought to light the seismic shift in the steel industry’s traditional male-dominated landscape, paving the way for a more inclusive and progressive workplace.
Ms. Subhadra Pradhan, Ms. Sniti Mishra, and Ms. Jayashree Mohanty, each of the guest speakers shared their experiences, struggles, and challenges, motivating the audience, especially the women, to persevere and break barriers in their respective fields. Their words of wisdom and real-life stories of resilience left a lasting impact on everyone present.
The evening took an artistic turn as Ms. Sniti Mishra mesmerized the audience with her soulful musical performance. This was followed by the staging of two compelling skits, further adding to the cultural fervor of the event.
One of the key highlights of the celebration was the prize distribution ceremony. Mr. Alok Verma presented the Tejaswini awards to nine women achievers of RSP, recognizing their outstanding contributions and inspiring journeys. The Executive Directors awarded winners of various competitions organised throughout the preceding week to mark week long celebration, including Just a Minute, Antakshari, Quiz, Funathon, and Skit, held as part of the Women’s Day festivities.
Earlier, Ms. Sunita Singh, CGM, PPC & Committee Chairman in her welcome address, emphasized the significance of Women’s Day and the continuous strides being made towards gender equality.
The event commenced with the National Anthem, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. A special in-house documentary and special features on the three esteemed guests produced by the Public Relations Department, were screened, capturing the essence of womanhood and the journey of empowerment at RSP. The celebration continued with a melodious welcome song performed by Ms. Rajlaxmi Kabi, Ms. Subhasmita Das, and Ms. Nivedita Behera.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. P.K. Sahoo, CGM, HR-L&D & Committee Vice-Chairman. Mr. Joydev Majumdar, Assistant Manager (PR) and Ms. Divya Sahoo, Assistant Manager (HR) coordinated the programme.
