The First National Women’s Conference of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) was inaugurated by Smt Chandrima Bhattacharya, Honourable Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Finance & Programme Monitoring and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Government of West Bengal, in Kolkata today.
The theme of the two-day (23-24 March 2023) National Women’s Conference, Empowered Women: Inspiring a Better Tomorrow, is in alignment with India’s G-20 Priority of Women-led development and will focus on the significant role played by women in driving the economic and social progress of a country.
“I am honoured to be here at the first National Women’s Conference by ICSI and express my gratitude to ICSI for choosing Kolkata to start this annual initiative. Women are already empowered and we have to celebrate this empowerment with the entire society,” said Smt Chandrima Bhattacharya, who holds the additional ministerial portfolios of Land and Land Reforms & Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation, Minister of State for Planning and Statistics in the Government of West Bengal.
Humbled with the appreciation, CS Manish Gupta,President, the ICSI said, “The ICSI has over 70,000 members and around 2 lakh students on its roll. Currently women account for nearly 50% of Company Secretaries (CS) in India and ICSI is working out a scheme to create more opportunities for them. The Institute has always been at the forefront when it comes to women’s empowerment. In fact, important departments at the ICSI are also led by Women”.
“I am happy to share that female members are more than males in the Eastern Region of ICSI. Overall ICSI has better percentage of female participation than many other professional bodies”, said ICSI’s only woman council member CS Rupanjana De.
The discussions during the 2-day hybrid Conference would span across the following sub themes:
• Women in Leadership: Building Legacy in Boardrooms
• Women Entrepreneurs: Driving Change & Innovation
• Women Achievers: Role of Equity, Inclusion, and Encouragement
• The Art of Mindfulness: Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Distinguished guests and speakers from the Government, Regulators, Industry, Academia, and Profession are attending this 1st of its kind event that will honour both Women and their social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.