Pune: The University Women’s Association, Pune, (UWAP) on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Saturday, gave scholarships to four female PhD students and also felicitated two women achievers.
With the message of ‘Inspire the Change’, UWAP felicitated the principals of Sevadham Trusts, Ashram Shala and Pramila Bhalke, and the lecturer at SNDT college, Vasanti Joshi.

Bhalke has changed the lives of more than thousand rural and adivasi students in the last fifteen years. She has formed self- help groups and also runs a school for tribal children in the Maval taluka. Courses on sewing, personality development and beauty are arranged for the tribals.

“Tribal students have a great grasping capacity,” Bhalke said at the event.

Vasanti Joshi and sports teacher Radhika Raut led a team of 20 female students from SNDT College, who cycled all the way from Pune to Kanyakumari, which is more than a 1,500 km journey. They spread the message of ‘Save the girl child’ and ‘Protect Our Environment’ during their remarkable journey.

Ranjana Patil, Gauri Kale, Meenakshi Vani and Elizabeth all female PhD students were awarded scholarships by UWAP. Ranjana Patil is pursuing her PhD in Marathi language and Gauri Kale in Performing Arts with focus on ‘Bharatnatyam’.