Tuesday, 09 March, 2010
Chennai: Students at the University of Madras may soon be able to widen their academic interests with the institution planning to establish a department of women’s studies soon.

Speaking at the International Women’s Day celebrations organised by the University of Madras here on Monday, its vice-chancellor G Thiruvasagam said, “This will provide the opportunity for students to learn about the history of the women’s movement in the country and around the world. I will move a resolution for this in the Academic Council meeting of the Senate”. The vice-chancellor added that it would be made mandatory for each college affiliated to the university to adopt an old-age home as a part of their outreach programme. He said college authorities could provide support in the form of counselling services, conducting educational programmes, providing financial assistance or supplementing physical infrastructure of the home. College heads would be required to give a report of their progress and contribution in this regard on ‘Women’s Day’ next year, Thiruvasagam added.

In a bid to encourage more women students to apply for educational programmes, he said that students applying for programmes carried out by the Institute of Distance Education would be eligible for a fee concession of 20%.

As many as 23 alumni were honoured on the occasion. They included Dr Sarada Menon, the country’s first woman psychiatrist and founder, SCARF (Schizophrenia Research Foundation), school and college founder Kumararani Meena Muthiah, dancer Padma Subramanyam, Kavithalaya Productions CEO Pushpa Kandasamy, Tamil poet Tamilachi Thangapandian and carnatic singer S Sowmya.