| Subject | Women Equality Day |
| Year | 2023-24 |
| Date | 29th August, 2023 |
| Time | 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Venue | 7th Floor Auditorium |
| Faculty Co-ordinator | Prof. Sayalee Kulkarni |
| Guest Speaker | Major Priyanka Gupta, Mrs. Priya Tetgure ( locomotive Pilot) |
PiCA celebrated Women Equality Day on 29th August, 2023, with esteemed guests Major Priyanka Gupta and Mrs. Priya Tetgure, in the presence of students and members from the Women’s Development Cells (WDC) of PIMSR, PCE, and PCACS departments at the Pillai Institute. The Women Development Cell at PiCA initiated this event to commemorate Women Equality Day and honor women who have gone above and beyond to pursue their dreams and careers.
The event took place in the 7th-floor Auditorium, running from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and attracted a large audience from various departments. Ar. Sayalee Kulkarni began the event with a welcoming address, shedding light on the historical significance of the day for women worldwide. The distinguished guests were warmly received by Dr. Sudnya Mahimkar, Principal of PiCA, and Prof. Smita Dalvi, a member of Soroptimist India.
Ar. Sayalee Kulkarni introduced the guest speakers, starting with Mrs. Priya Tetgure, an assistant loco pilot who predominantly operated passenger trains, roro trains, mail express, and even goods trains, primarily on the Ratnagiri Roha Ratnagiri routes. Her responsibilities included assisting the locomotive pilot while driving the train, monitoring signal aspects, ensuring track safety, and making quick decisions when needed.
The second guest speaker was Major Priyanka Gupta, an architect by profession and Co-founder and Head of Marketing at VISOL renewable energy solutions, a solar consulting and EPC company. She also served as an ex-Army officer, commissioned into the Corp of Engineers of the Indian Army in March 2003.
Both speakers shared their enlightening journeys and the challenges they faced when choosing unconventional career paths. They discussed how they overcame gender bias and societal norms to pursue their dreams, offering guidance to the female audience on being prepared for unforeseen challenges in their career paths and staying self-safeguarded.
Major Priyanka Gupta’s presentation deeply moved the audience as she recounted her journey from being an architect to serving in the Army, where she led a bridge company with approximately 200 male soldiers under her command. The session was highly inspiring, leaving attendees filled with pride for having such strong women among them.
The gathering ended with an expression of gratitude, leaving all the women in the room filled with pride, motivation, and a sense of empowerment as they departed for the day.
