The Sampoorna Woman: WTF

The PANIIT 2008 Global Conference's program designed "Especially for Spouses" highlights the height of obnoxiously obsolete thoughts in the midst of technological progress. In a world that's taking huge strides forward in terms of making the workplace a bit less cold for women, the so-called highly educated minds, who choose to inspire, innovate and transform, have actually chosen to transform back over a century in time.

There are tons of things I can point out that are wrong with this program. I'll write about a few over here:

1) The program starts by saying it is designed "especially for spouses". You think- whew, at least they said spouses, not wives. Wait, you thought too soon. The very next sentence is:

The theme for the spouses' track in this year's PANIIT is "Sampoorna" - programs meant for the complete woman, who is able to perfectly balance her personal, professional and public personality.

What about the female IIT alumni? Are their husbands supposed to be encouraged to be a "complete woman" as well? Hmm, maybe! Or maybe these people are finally accepting homosexuality with open arms!

2) The "Sampoorna" woman is such an archaic thought that I need to first sit down and think what it can possibly mean. Well, by the PANIIT definition, the "sampoorna" or "complete" woman should be able to perfectly balance her personal, professional and public personality. Huh? What's wrong with these "stalwarts of technological advancement"?

If a woman has an excellent professional and public personality, there's bound to be a compromise on the personal life. Does such a compromise make her an "incomplete woman"? And of course, a man in the same situation is always a "complete man". What the hell!

3) The program includes activities like visits to dakshin chitra, cholamandal artists' village, kalakshetra (all famous for their arts, crafts, music, dance), as well as some shopping for jewellery, silk and handicrafts. There are also some workshops for mehendi, cooking, dandia etc.

Really! Is that all they think a "sampoorna woman" should be exposed to? Well, how about a tour of the campus facilities- the library, the labs, the departments, the sports facilities, the swimming pool? How about a tour of leading research institutes in Chennai, like the IMSC, Cancer Institute etc. How about a few demos that were recently showcased at Shaastra 2008 in IIT-M, like the NUS robotics show, the defence tanks, the vertical take off and landing? What about talks by Nobel laureates? What about talks by leading industrialists and researchers and academics? Oh wait, I forgot. Maybe these are reserved only for the "complete man"???

4) The eminent women invited as chief guests for the program are- hold your breath- Hema Malini and Shilpa Shetty. They will speak on how to be a "complete woman". What! Are these the only leading women that they can think of? How about inviting leading women researchers, scientists, doctors, businesswomen? Oh no, I forgot. They are not "complete women" anyway!

5) The program included a "Mystic Trail" track, which has since been taken off from the website. The cached page on Google describes this track as:

In the afternoon our Mystic Trail will take you through some of India's most well known practices such as Astrology, Palmistry, Gemology, Nadi and Kili Josiyam. The entire trail will be set in the IIT Campus, giving the participants an opportunity to get a first hand experience of some of India's most occult practices and beliefs.

I just cannot absorb the fact that the alumni of IIT, which supposedly gets the "cream layer" of the country's brightest minds, actually believe in and encourage these "occult practices and beliefs". And on the very premises of one of the most prestigious educational institutes in the country! Seriously- Astrology! Palmistry! On campus? WTF!

Wake up, people! The world has moved far ahead of you. It will take eons for you to catch up. Please make some use of your "bright brains" and of the education that has been imparted on you. Please think!

- Written by a Proud-to-be-Non-Sampoorna-Woman (who managed to complete the blogpost without dying of cerebral aneurysm)