HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY.. to all of us!!

Yesterday was International Women's Day.. nice that they call it international.. makes it truly inclusive and includes women all over the world! I am fortunate to have met and gotten to know women in different parts of the world.. some casually and some otherwise.. All of these women are different and similar in certain ways.. they may be rich or poor.. educated or illiterate.. working or homemakers.. beautiful stunning or average looking.. brilliant or clever.. street smart or savvy.. BUT.. what stands out like a shining beacon about ALL these women is their strength resilience confidence integrity generosity patience and above all.. compassion..

Today's blog is a celebration of and tribute to all the very special unique and wonderful women in my life that I can't imagine my world without..

Let's start with the woman I owe my very existence to.. my mother Vasant Dalal.. or Vasu as we used to affectionately address her! She was one helluva woman.. way ahead of her time and absolutely her own person.. Although she wasn't a graduate with a degree from any college.. I say confidently and proudly that she lived life on her own terms and told it like it was.. often a tad outspoken and called a spade a shovel! She taught me to believe in myself.. and I remember asking her once before going to a party "Mom.. do you think this top is a little transparent?" To which her reply was "If YOU aren't comfortable wearing it then don't.. but don't think about what anyone ELSE is going to think or say!" She drove my friends and me home from Shanmukhananda Hall one night in torrential rain without headlights horn and wipers.. talk about a rockstar!! Thank you Mummy for the deep reserves of courage..

And then let's talk about my Head of Department from teacher's training college.. Jana Mahadevan who was (and continues to be) truly passionate about children.. the environment in which they should learn.. HOW to create it and make it a JOYFUL experience.. Thank you Jana for awakening a similar passion in me.. and for pushing lazy me above and beyond my limit to excel and truly be the best teacher I can be.. 

My friend Roshan and I met a really long time ago at a seminar on Professionalism in Education where she attended and appreciated two of my workshops! We're almost a generation apart but there's a "karmic connection" and almost all major events in our lives happen at around the same time for us both! Roshan, thank you so much for showing me how important it is to be thorough and get to the crux of a matter..

A heartfelt "thank you" to my friend Dinaz Stafford who's always encouraged me to spread my wings and fly! She's incredibly committed to everything and everyone in her life! Will be eternally indebted to you for seeing my potential and abilities and entrusting your precious Salaam Baalak Trust children and "Didis" to me! Thank you Dinaz for showing me how to "jump in at the deep end" and still swim!

Another inspiration would have to be my bestie Anu Thyagarajan who tells the BEST stories in the world! She's the best teacher I have ever known and possibly of the the nicest human beings I know.. super high on both IQ and EQ.. in Singapore for the last 26 years but an integral part of my daily life.. Thank you Anu for always believing in me (more than I believe in myself) and teaching me how to think before I speak..

Have to mention my oldest friend Varsha Shinde who I've known and loved for over 52 years now.. another woman of substance who married before the age of 18 into a big joint family and has evolved into the quintessential "centre of the family" who manages a husband family and agriculture with great aplomb! Thank you Varsha for teaching me how to celebrate every little joy in life!

In 1979 it was "Prefect's Day" in Queen Mary School when the girls in standard 9 and 10 used to go to the junior classes and handle them for the whole day.. thanks to that I met Shriti Kapadia who's consistently been the most sensible and practical person I have ever met.. with a heart of pure gold! Thank you Shriti for always giving great advice.. being my voice of reason and leading by example!

I was incredibly lucky in college to meet and befriend Smita Mankani Parul Jhaveri Lavina Roy and Kavita Khanna! Smita is someone I love like a sister or even more.. her house is my house and we don't keep any secrets from each other.. She's just been through a major health issue and dealt with it beautifully.. Thank you Smita for teaching me that in gentleness and pure goodness of heart lie the greatest strength! 

Parul is another person I can not begin to imagine my world without.. she is calm collected organized and NEVER hurries.. also one of the biggest supporters to me on my spiritual journey and someone who I can talk to about ANYTHING with no fear of being judged at all.. Thank you Parul for teaching me how to hold up a mirror to myself analyze what I see and work on changing it.. I love you!

Lavina is someone I have HUGE respect for.. with constant stress and an incredibly busy life.. she still manages to "be there" as the proverbial "rock" for her friends and family and runs two houses brilliantly! Her children are my children too and we share a wonderful friendship! Thank you Lavina for showing me how "friends become family" and for being family to me!

Kavita is the real life representation of Superwoman.. work family home friends faith and everything else.. she manages to rock it all and "be there" for everyone and everything! She and I can spend hours talking and laughing about anything and everything and time just flies! Thank you Kavita for showing me constantly that it doesn't pay to take life too seriously..

Last but by no means the least are Ami Thakker and Alefia Zoomkawala who have been my "partners in crime" while teaching street children or participating in my wild fancies or getting involved in worthy causes! Both of these women are gentle softspoken and amazing wives mothers mothers-in-law and still rocking in their own right! Thank you for the trust and for always participating so completely in everything we do..

I could go on and on because the list of women who have inspired me taught me learned with me and just BEEN with me through the good bad and ugly is dauntingly long.. suffice it to say I am abundantly blessed.. supremely grateful for all the wonderful gifts you bring to my life.. and am committed to all of you in equal measure! Thank you for being the (some or all) wild wacky weird and wonderful women you are and for everything you bring to the table! The world celebrates us on the 8th of March but I say to our great sisterhood.. let's just promise ourselves to celebrate each other.. support each other.. straighten each other's crowns.. feel free to reach out to each other and just keep rocking it every single day! 

As the R K Laxman joke goes.. She asked him "Why did you create only the common man and not the common woman?" He smiled and said "because a woman can NEVER be common!"

Remember that you are unique.. one of a kind.. and have some truly exceptional qualities that make you very special.. so stand tall.. keep smiling.. stay positive and keep believing in yourself.. for it is genuinely YOU who makes our world a wonderful place to live in! God  bless and much love always!!

and of course.. Happy Women's Day!!