In an address that lasted for about an hour, Chitra Venkatraman, former judge of the Madras High Court, recalled her days as a junior advocate and later as a judge to convey multiple messages to an audience packed with women.
"On my first day, as a junior advocate, I sought passover in a case, while a male advocate, actually asked for an adjournment. The judge in question said, 'You have been practising in the court for almost five years now, why can't you handle the case.' I still remember it," she said, adding the male advocate was not so respectful of her.
A passover is a kind-of-request to make way for the next case as a swapping arrangement while an adjournment is sought to postpone the hearing to a later date altogether. In some cases, it is seen as a delaying tactic.
She was delivering the keynote address at an event 'Conference on Women and Leadership: Redefining the Possible' organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) on Friday.
"Being a man in a profession has no advantage at all," she said, after which she spoke about three instances of leadership one of them being that of rape victim Sunitha Krishnan, to drive home the point that women are natural fighters.
She also made a break, so to speak, when she acknowledge the role of men in the professional achievements of women. "Behind a successful woman is a man...I am a standing example of that," she said, referring to her advocate-husband R Venkatraman's supporting role.
Sunitha Krishnan, now 45, was gang-raped at a young age, but instead of living a dejected life, decided to help victims of crimes against women and children. She co-founded Prajwala, a group in Hyderabad that rescues victims of trafficking.
"I had a chance to meet her once...she is full of energy," Chitra Venkatraman said. Prajwala has reportedly rescued more than 2,000 women from prostitution, including 1,500 who were personally rescued by the woman.
Later, findings of a survey titled 'Women Empowerment At Workplace in India' conducted by the BCIC, Deloitte and TISS was released.
Panel discussions on various topics were also held in which women executives spoke.
