ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE FRENCH CONNECTION

 

 

Since 1066, when England was conquered by the Normans- a warlike people of mixed Scandinavian and French stock- English has been heavily influenced by the French language, so much so, that some linguists debate that English has effectively become a hybrid Germanic-Romance language. This was only reinforced by the intense (and often openly hostile) relationship between France and England throughout the Middle Ages. Even in colonial times, English speakers were in constant contact with Quebecois and Acadian (Cajun) French-speakers, so it comes as no surprise that English features many terms directly lifted from French, often with the intention of lending a fancy and pretentious air to whatever it is you’re trying to say (a certain je ne sais quoi, if you will).

 

France ruled over England for almost a century, and French was the language of the court and the nobility. This period left an indelible mark on the English language, influencing both its vocabulary and grammar. Some of these words don't even sound like French at first glance, but that's a story for another time. French words make up almost a third of the entire English vocabulary (around 10,000 words). But just because we’ve adopted these words, doesn’t mean that we’re actually using them correctly. Here are some of the most egregious examples of words that would make a French speaker’s ears bleed.

 

In this blog, we will investigate certain French words and phrases you might as well use while you're in France. Even though some of these phrases may be tricky to pronounce, they are sure to enrich your vocabulary and make you sound more versed in the language.

 

1. Et voilà! or Voilà! (pronounced as et vwaa-laa) Meaning: Behold, here it is! Example sentence: Et voilà!! The cake is ready. Let’s start this list with a simple and non-intimidating phrase most English speakers are already familiar with. You can use Et voilà! or simply Voilà! anytime you want to demonstrate something and you also want to make it sound more exciting.

 

2. Cliché (klee-sheh) Meaning: a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. Example sentence: The phrase, “All that glitters isn't gold,” is one of the most overused clichés in English writing. We’ve all encountered mindlessly-written sentences, repetitive images used in art and film, and even stereotypical opinions. When these tropes become painfully-overused, they can be easily called a cliché. It’s easy to remember the meaning of this term once you learn of its origin. The word cliché originated in the 1800s in the printing trade. It’s a way to refer to a printer’s block used to reproduce a commonly-used phrase.

 

3. Je ne sais quoi (zhuh nuh say kwah) Meaning: an indescribable (usually positive) characteristic of a person or an object. Example sentence: That actor has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms everybody! The literal translation of Je ne sais quoi from French is “I don’t know what,” and it is typically preceded by a certain both in French and English. We usually use it to describe an attractive characteristic or charm that’s hard to pin down.

 

4. Vis-à-vis (vee-zah-vee) Meaning: regarding or concerning a certain subject, in relation to, a face-to-face meeting, a private meeting. Example sentence: 1. The banker met with the young businessman vis-à-vis his loan application. 2. My country’s currency is stronger vis-à-vis several other countries. Literally translated as “face to face,” vis-à-vis is one of those French words we think we know but always misuse. It’s erroneously used to mean “to see eye-to-eye,” for example, so be careful with the way you use this phrase because you may be misunderstood.

 

5. Apropos (a-pruh-pow) Meaning: at an opportune time or occasion, just at the right time, relevant. Example sentence: Jane’s letter arrived apropos. In English, we have a beautiful expression that captures the meaning of apropos. That expression is, “the stars align in someone’s favor.” If you want to save yourself a lot of time, though, just use the French expression. It is by no means less refined or eloquent.

 

6. Bon voyage (bon vwa-yazh) Meaning: Have a good journey! Example sentence: Bon voyage, enjoy your trip to France! Here’s another phrase that’s super easy to incorporate in your everyday speech. It’s just is a fun way of wishing someone a good trip when they’re leaving. Is it the same as saying “goodbye” to someone? Not quite, but many people do use the two interchangeably in English, so the jury is out on that one.

 

7. Déjà vu (de-zha-voo) Meaning: A feeling that you’ve already been in a situation you’re in before. Example sentence: It was my first time in London, but that bookstore made me experience a severe case of déjà vu. Be it a stranger that looked familiar or an unfamiliar place that looks like something you swear you remember, déjà vu is one of those odd phenomena we’ve all experienced in our lifetime. The literal translation of déjà vu is "already seen," but this translation poorly explains the eerie feeling itself. As for the phrase itself - déjà vu - it’s one of the most notoriously mispronounced French borrowings in English. If you, too, pronounce it as “day zhavoo,” we recommend you drop the “-ay”, if you want to sound more accurate.

 

8. Au contraire (o-kont-rer) Meaning: on the contrary, on the opposite side. Example sentence: “I can see that this is no help: au contraire.” Admittedly, this phrase is mostly used in written English rather than spoken language, with the lone spoken expression containing the phrase being au contraire mon frère (on the contrary my brother), which is usually used ironically. However, it may be useful for you to know that au contraire is a fancy way to interject a previous statement.

 

9. Faux pas (fo-pa) French Phrases in English Faux pas Like Meaning: a social blunder Example sentence: By commenting on the shreaded jeans of a mother of two the Chief Minister made a faux pas. The phrase faux pas literally means “a false step” in French, which makes it easy to remember that a faux pas is any action that should be avoided, or else, you're risking offending someone or finding yourself in an embarrassing social situation. What a useful phrase! A similar word is faux amis, or "false friends".

 

10. RSVP Meaning: Please respond. Example sentence: The invitation says we should RSVP by the end of next week. Most people aren’t even aware that RSVP is of French origin. In reality, the term is an abbreviation derived from the French phrase Répondez s'il vous plaît, which means “please reply.” It is customary to use RSVP in written invitations, as a way to confirm whether or not a guest is planning on arriving at the gathering.

11. Fillet (French: filet, pronounced as filleh) This is perhaps the most common mispronunciation of French loanwords is turning the final E in words that end in “et” or “é” into an “ay” diphthong. This can also be seen in words such as buffet (bouffeh in French, buhffay in English)

 

12. Entrée (pronounced as untreh) This one is a landmine because in French, entrée means “entrance”, and in the context of food- a starter, whereas in English it came to mean the main course. There has surely been a course correction since!

 

13. Hors d’oeuvres (pronounced: ‘or doovre’ and not ‘or durves’ : Another way to refer to an appetizer or starter, here we can see an example of metathesis, a linguistic phenomenon where consonants are interchanged for ease of pronunciation, as “vr” isn’t a common consonant cluster in English, particularly in the final position, while “rv” is far more palatable (serve, swerve, and in UK English- turves).

 

14. Guillotine (pronounced as ‘giyotine’ and not ‘gilliotine’) Meaning: behead, decapitate or execute.

 

15. Coup de Grâce (pronounced as ‘coo de grahss’ and not ‘coo de gra’ Meaning: a final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal -"he administered the coup de grâce with a knife" or an action or event that serves as the culmination of a bad or deteriorating situation – “Ronaldo delivered the coup de grâce with a penalty two minutes from time"

 

16.  Négligée : As you might imagine, this doesn’t refer in French to a sheer nightgown, but is rather a particularly rude way of referring to the woman wearing it as somehow “neglected”. In French, the sexy nightwear is actually known as déshabillé, literally “undressed”…..they are French you see!

 

 

The French are justifiably proud of their contribution to the English language but if you mispronounce these words you would receive is a blank stare or a condescending smirk.

‘MAN KI BAAT’ – THE NEW DISCOVERY OF INDIA

  

I hope you have read ‘The Discovery of India’ and most of you must have seen the ‘Bharat ek khoj’ the 53 episode Doordarshan TV serial produced by the legendary Shyam Benegal which traces 5000 years of Indian history till our independence in 1947. The Discovery of India was written by India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during his imprisonment in 1942–1945 at Ahmednagar fort. He was incarcerated for his participation in the ‘Quit India’ movement by the colonial authorities during the British Raj.

 

“The discovery of India — what have I discovered? It was presumptuous of me to imagine that I could unveil her and find out what she is today and what she was in the long past. ... Shameful and repellent she is occasionally, perverse and obstinate, sometimes even a little hysteric, this lady with a past.” This book is the product of the times when an ancient civilization encumbered by the burden of its past, shamed by its present status of stagnation and slavery was coming to terms with harsh realities of the present and intimidating challenges of the future. That was a moment of transition. And in those moments national mind runs the risk of getting overwhelmed; it craves for an anchorage, a civilizational aspiration. And Jawaharlal Nehru tried to establish that anchorage. He ventured into past and traced the roots of our country.

 

A book to me is essentially a monologue and at most exposes one to the writer’s mind. But even that monologue can resonate with the reader’s inner intimate questions and then the book becomes a dialogue. Discovery of India is one such book. This journey to the past is not for the romance of the past or the nostalgia, it is a purposeful journey; a journey to consolidate one’s ancient heritage and wisdom; to frankly face one’s mistakes and failings; and to prepare oneself for the change.

 

Nehru’s narration of history and knowledge about India is excellent. Writing with pride about his motherland, he sings praises of his people’s successes and great heritage, he also acknowledges their failures and weaknesses. His intense dislike for British rule comes through as clearly as his hope for India that prevails eventually. To read The Discovery of India is to more than discover just India. Not limited to information about the subcontinent as it is today, the discovery talks about the world from Plato, Emerson, the history of lands like Afghanistan, China’s ancient trade links with India and so much more. It is to venture into a discovery of the world itself.

 

So to classify this book as one of the historical accounts of India will be an incomplete assessment. It is an ongoing process of learning from the past to build the present and inspire the future! This is exactly what I feel when I listen to our present Prime Minister’s  ‘Man ki baat’, the radio programme through which Sri Narendra Modi addresses the people of India on the last Sunday of every month. This is a practice he started on the Vijay Dashami day of October 3, 2014 and on March 28, 2021 we heard the 75^th edition of this programme. Since television connection is still not available everywhere in India, especially in the isolated, rural and less developed regions, Modi ji chose the radio to be the medium of communication as an estimated 90% of the total Indian population is reachable over the medium. And what is the Prime Minister talking about…….almost everything under the sun if it has to do with India and Indian people. Instead of writing for an elite few Modi ji has chosen a medium which has far greater reach and on this account he scores over his predecessor.

 

Aided by an ace research team and a very active section of the Prime Minister’s Office this 20 minutes programme is packed with information mostly received from audience feedback. Almost 66% of urban India tunes in to this address, which is now also available in regional languages and on a YouTube channel and Facebook streaming and is the highest revenue grosser for All India Radio today. In the first fifteen addresses of Man ki baat  broadcast, more than 61,000 ideas and 1.43 lakhs audio recordings by listeners were received on the website. Each month, some selected calls become a part of the broadcast by the virtue of which India has discovered her many unsung heroes and heroines.

 

The subjects that Modi ji touch upon are varied and from them emerge certain campaigns like Swachata Abhiyan or Clean India Movement, Selfie with Daughter, Beti Bachao Beti Parhao, Incredible India, Fit India and Sandesh to Soldiers. The most remembered topics were the promotion of Khadi, Drug Free India – establishing a toll free helpline for fighting the menace, Mars Mission, Mission Chandrayan,  Examination stress of students and how to overcome them, and separation of garbage in different coloured bags.

 

Farmer’s issues have always found a special place in Man ki baat - soil health, ‘Fasal Beema yojana’ or crop insurance, right value for yield and land acquisition. He clarified many misunderstandings about the recent Land Act in one such programme and talked about the harmful health effects of stubble burning in another. His appeal for organic farming, as is being practiced in Sikkim and his call for rainwater harvesting, water conservation, linking of rivers were all aimed to improve the ecology.

 

International Yoga Day was first discussed in Man ki Baat and he presented yoga as a form of preventive healthcare. Other game changing ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’, ‘Mudra loan’, ‘Ujjwala Yojana’, ‘Dindayal Uppadhayya Gram Jyoti Youjana’, ‘Stand up India’, Start up India’, gold monetization etc were talked in great detail in Man ki baat. While introducing Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) Modi ji said that the "Future will be technology driven, embrace it. The key to future is technology and to lead, one must innovate and participate in nation building process.” He has talked extensively on the scientists and mathematicians of yesteryear like Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya, Srinivas Ramanujam, Visheshwariya, and healers like Sushruta, Charaka and Dhanwantri and thus presented to the new generation a  heritage that they can be justifiably proud of……a new discovery of India!

 

During stressful times like demonetization and COVID pandemic Modi ji reassured the nation, explained to them the reasons of their hardship and how to overcome them. Demonetization saw a sharp spike in our cashless economy and a collapse of the black market driven real estate boom and terror factories. He requested citizens to promote BHIM, which is a Mobile App developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and today it is one of the most popular cashless portals giving serious challenge to VISA and Mastercard. . During the pandemic Modi ji emphasized on the practice of wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining social distancing in his own easy to understand language. The government COVID Warriors website was also mentioned and the 1.25 crore volunteers who have joined were offered a special thanks. The fact that we can export PPEs, ventilators, drugs and vaccines to the world today instead of being at the receiving end is a discovery of new India!

 

Soldiers are close to our hearts and Modi ji often discusses their issues like ‘One Rank one pension’, availability of highest quality of equipments and arms, indigenization of manufacturing of military hardware etc. His ‘Diwali in Siachin’ and tribute to the ‘Kargil Heroes’ were touching. His praise of the leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhi, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and the immortal heroes of Bangladesh liberation war were lavish. Whether it was Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw or Marshal of the Air Arjun Singh or GOC in C Eastern Command Genl. Jagjeet Singh Arora, or Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hameed or Major Kuldeep Singh Chanpuri Man ki Baat has recorder their valor for posterity. Even his take on the 1965 war was an eye opener. His account of skirmishes in Doklam and Galwan and the offensive action against Uri and Pulwama terror attacks were precise and powerful……the documentation of a new discovery of India!

 

Modi ji’s admiration for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj has found an expression in several episodes as has his adulation for Swami Vivekananda. He has also lavishly praised Gandhi ji, Sardar Ballabhbhai Patel, Smt. Indira Gandhi, Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Dr. P.V. Narsimmha Rao, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Dr. Pranab Mukherjee and while doing so he has managed to pass on a small lesson of history of their time to the present generation.

 

Icons like Bismilla Khan, Bhupen Hazarika and Hemanta Kumar and living legends like Lata Mangeshkar were often idolized in Man ki baat. Sportspersons like Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguli, M.S. Dhoni, Mithali Raj, Vishwanathan Anand, P.V. Sandhu, Saina Nehwa, Dipa Karmakar, Abhinav Bindral, Lalita Babar, Vikas Krishna Yadav are often presented as role models for modern India. The role played by social reformers like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Rishi Arobindo, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Guru Nanak Dev, Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, Anandamayi Ma, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), and Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, Morari Bapu to shape the India of today are also very lucidly explained by Modi ji and while doing so he traced a new discovery of India as well as discovery of a new India!

 

Organizations like the NCC, NSS and the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Red Cross and the Nehru Yuva Kendra were also talked about in Man ki baat. The unsung Asha workers were remembered and social issues like illiteracy, ignorance, poverty were routinely touched upon and a social answer to these problems was sought.  Helping the poor on the occasion of various festivals so that they do not feel left out, sharing unused clothes and extra food with those who are less fortunate were also touched upon. The ban on single use plastic was explained with the same lucidity as the contentious judgment of Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Modi ji, in his inimitable style, described his demographic dividend thus ‘Our youth hate anarchy, instability and disorder and dislike casteism and nepotism’ and that remains the blueprint of the India of the future.

 

A call to all Indians to plan inland tourism in different states and his mantra of ‘Vocal for local’ has caught the imagination of the masses. He routinely talks about local art and craft, locally made toys and of his visit to the Hunar Haat near India Gate in Delhi. The story telling tradition of India in Hitopdesh and Panchtantra and the inspiration we get from Chatrapati Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Rani Laxmibai, and Mangal Pandey were all passed on in a unique way thus scripting a new Discovery of India!

 

But Man ki baat is strikingly different from the Discovery of India in being totally impersonal. While Nehru dedicated the entire Chapter 3 to his relationship with his wife Kamala, her death, and his thoughts of death in Man ki baat Modi rarely talks about himself. There are places where Nehru, educated in the west, shares his fascination for western things and ideals, and even at some places he lavishly praises the Chinese. Modi in contrast gives the mantra of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’!  If you exclude these bits both Discovery of India and Man ki baat are recording the contemporary records of the time so that we can get a complete picture of India through the ages. History is visited and re-visited only to draw inspiration from and to create a new India of the future.

NOW, HOW DO I SAY THIS?

 

As a surgeon we have to do this once in a while with our colleagues, with our patients or with their relatives.  A colleague who is not living up to our expectation or having inter personal issues with other team members, a patient who has been diagnosed with a life threatening disease or a life changing morbidity or concerned relatives of patients in the intensive care, all these are situations that deserve a serious and difficult conversation. Everyone dreads difficult conversations.

 

Having to deliver unpleasant news, discussing a delicate subject, or talking about a situation that was offensive or hurtful can be daunting. You may be uncomfortable with setting limits or worry about how the other person will react. While all of that is completely natural and normal, these conversations cannot be avoided altogether. In fact, putting them off for too long can potentially let the issue grow worse. Discussing difficult matters in a respectful way is an immensely important part of any healthy relationship, whether it’s a friend, an employee, a relative, or a significant other.

 

Approaching difficult conversations correctly will not only raise the chances for a positive outcome, but it will also make you feel more at ease before and during the talk. Mental health and communication experts have a few things to say about this which I intend to share with you.

 

Prepare ahead and be as clear as possible

To prepare for the conversation, you need to first identify the problem you are about to raise. To do so, ask yourself the following questions:

1.      What exactly is the behavior that is causing the problem?

2.      What impact does that behavior have on you (or the group/organization)?

3.      What do you want to accomplish by having this conversation?

It’s important that you maintain clarity for yourself so that you’re able to articulate the issue concisely to the other side. Confusion or hesitation could make the situation more awkward, and derail the conversation in a direction you didn’t plan on and that isn’t productive in solving the problem at hand.

 

It is important to use specific examples for your concerns and the things you’d like to happen differently. Avoid words like ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘everything’ or ‘nothing’. These words may express your frustration, but they over-generalize and aren’t helpful in the communication process.

 

Don’t wait too long

When a friend or a relative does something that offends you, it’s best to discuss the challenging issue as it comes up or soon thereafter. It’s never helpful to hold onto feelings of anger, frustration or resentments for days or weeks, and then unleashing them on another person all at once. Discussing an issue when it’s still fresh in your mind will usually make for a calmer, more grounded conversation.

Similarly, an unfavourable test result or a poor prognosis should be conveyed to the patient and his/her relatives well in time so that they have the option of seeking a second opinion.

 

Manage the emotions

You might be coming to the conversation with a bag of emotions like anger or frustration. It’s important that you express how you feel, but try not to fixate on these emotions and let them run the show. Speak as calmly in a matter-of-fact tone as possible. That being said, don’t block emotions completely out of the conversation. Being human is most important, more important than being robotically correct. If the other person seems annoyed, saddened, or even starts to cry, these emotions should be acknowledged and respected, not ignored.

 

Don't be afraid of silences

There will be moments in the conversation when silence occurs. Don’t let it faze you and don’t rush to fill it in with words. These silences are helpful; they allow us to really hear what was said and let the messages sink in. Some people are uncomfortable with silences and that is understandable, but it’s important to be prepared for them when approaching a sensitive conversation. A constant flow of words can come across as steamrolling or overbeating. A pause also has calming effects and allowing these moments is likely to lead to a better outcome.  It is not every day that a son hears that his mother’s condition is deteriorating and we may lose her. Let the information sink in a somber silence, it does not need many more words.

 

Give the other person your full attention and respect

When the other person is speaking, consciously listen to what they are saying, with the intent of hearing them. That is very different from waiting for the other person to finish speaking so you can respond. To achieve this, you must approach the conversation with a genuine interest in solving the problem, rather than prioritizing the need to be “right”. If you see the conversation as a competition where you need to be right, it means the other person must necessarily be ‘wrong’. This kind of either-or mentality makes reaching a mutual understating much less likely. If you are not sure what the other person said or meant, ask for clarification before you respond. For example, “I’m not sure what you mean. Can you please help me better understand?” Making the other person feel heard will prevent the conversation from turning into an argument.

 

Choose your time and place

We already established that if you need to have a challenging conversation with someone, it’s best to plan it out rather than just walking into it spontaneously. The time and place can make a big difference in the other side’s willingness to accept and hear what you are saying. Choose a relaxed location and a time that suits both of you, so no one is under any external stress. For example, if you approach the other person right before they have to meet an important deadline or you have a class to teach, the additional stress you both are under can affect the conversation negatively. Telling someone “we need to talk” helps to signal that time needs to be set aside to have the conversation.

 

Give it time

Keep in mind change doesn’t happen overnight. You might reach a big breakthrough during the conversation, or have an eye-opening moment, but chances are both parties will need time to digest and reflect. So give each other the space needed for that. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel like everything is perfect right away. What’s important is that both of you expressed how you feel respectfully, and are on the same page.

 

Drop your assumptions

Even if you know someone through and through, it doesn’t mean you can always predict what they are feeling and thinking. Ultimately, you can’t control how the other person will react to your effort to engage them in a challenging conversation. People grow and change, and their needs and expectations change over time too and need to be renegotiated. So it’s best to drop any assumptions before walking into the conversation in order to be truly open-minded and accept the outcome. This is even more important with those you have come to know only recently and that too under adverse circumstances and mental stress. Keep reassuring them that you are with them and your help is unconditional and uninterrupted but they need to know the truth.

 

Having these conversations promptly, however, helps us to cultivate our integrity, and helps us to develop the courage and honesty we need to address the hard moments ahead in our futures. To many of us, it can seem easier to avoid an issue, rather than to address it. Tough talks are no walk in the park, and they can leave us feeling anxious, stressed and desperate for a way out. The problem, however, is that these conversations are often the most important ones we can have. Avoiding the tough stuff will only get you so far in life, as life is made up of tough stuff. By learning how to brave hard conversations now, you’ll be better equipped for the next conflict you face, or the next situation that calls for an addressing of uncomfortable issues and emotions.

WISHING ALL AND NOT ONLY THE WOMEN HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

 

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This is a contribution over and above their true and priceless contribution of creation of mankind for which we will always remain indebted! The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender justice. Notice that I am not using the often used phrase ‘gender parity’ for truly there can be no parity with the creator; the world owes them justice and deserving place in both our lives and our society. Significant activity will be witnessed worldwide as groups will come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's empowerment.

The world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation in developed countries may feel that 'all the battles have been won for women' while many in the developing world know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, not even Tennis stars and golfers, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men. However, undoubtedly great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts, fighter pilots, nuclear scientists and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices.

History:

International Women's Day (IWD) has been observed since the early 1900’s. This was a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. Great unrest and critical debate was occurring among women. Women's oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights. In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman's Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on February 28. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on February 23, the last Sunday in February. Following discussions, International Women's Day was agreed to be marked annually on March 8 and this day has remained the global date for International Women's Day ever since. In 1914, further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women's solidarity. Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death of over 2 million Russian soldiers in World War 1. Opposed by political leaders, the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote.

International Women’s Day in the U.N.

International Women's Day was celebrated for the first time by the United Nations in 1975. Then in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. The UN announced their first annual theme "Celebrating the past, Planning for the Future" which was followed in 1997 with "Women at the Peace table", in 1998 with "Women and Human Rights", in 1999 with "World Free of Violence Against Women", and so on each year.

2011 saw the 100 year centenary of International Women's Day - with the first IWD event held exactly 100 years ago in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month", calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" in shaping the country's history.

The India story

We have been celebrating International Women’s Day since 1913 and have surely come a long way, but we have miles to go. While the country has produced a woman President, a woman Prime Minister, a woman speaker, innumerable women scientists, doctors, engineers, artists, journalists, teachers and legal luminaries, gender justice is still nowhere round the corner. The ingrained patriarchy in our society makes our girl child’s life endangered right from the foetal stage till her advanced age. Female feticide, high infant mortality rates, eve teasing, rape, unequal educational options, unequal job opportunities, inconsiderate labour laws and a fear of orthodoxy and khap culture all together are keeping the better half of our society in shackles. Not only do we require a better climate for them to bloom to live their dreams and achieve their fullest potentials but we need a change in the attitude of the men folk to appreciate the true ‘nari shakti’. We cannot become a developed nation if half of our population is not allowed to contribute to the fullest. Having a President or a Prime Minister once in a while then becomes simply symbolic tokenism and an aberration.

There's no place for complacency. According to the World Economic Forum, sadly none of us will see gender justice in our lifetimes, and nor likely will many of our children. Gender parity will not be attained for almost a century.

There's urgent work to do - and we can all play a part, not just the women.