Under the leadership of Principal Dr. Savinder Pal, the NSS Unit of Kamla Nehru College for Women, Phagwara, celebrated International Literacy Day on 9th September 2025 with great enthusiasm. On this occasion, Ms. Nidhi Jassal, Assistant Professor in Commerce and NSS Programme Officer, delivered a lecture on “Women Empowerment and Social Change.” She highlighted how literacy plays a pivotal role in empowering women and shaping a progressive society. Stressing that education is the most powerful tool for equality, self-reliance, and social transformation, she quoted Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s words: “When a woman moves forward, the family moves, the village moves, and the nation moves.” A thought-provoking PowerPoint Presentation was also presented with messages like “Literacy is not just about reading and writing, it is about dignity and empowerment” and “When a woman is educated, a generation is empowered.” To enrich the lecture, case studies were shared, including Malala Yousafzai’s fearless struggle for girls’ education, the success of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in empowering rural women, and the government’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, which promotes the education of the girl child.
She further emphasized that literacy not only creates confidence and self-reliance but also fosters entrepreneurship skills among women and brings a positive change in society’s perception of gender equality. More than 50 NSS volunteers actively attended and participated in the discussion. In her address, Principal Dr. Savinder Pal motivated the students to become torchbearers of literacy and emphasized that education must reach the underprivileged to achieve true social change. She further urged the volunteers to cultivate the habit of continuous learning and spread awareness about the importance of education in their communities. The programme concluded with an interactive session, where students expressed their views on literacy as a tool for empowerment.