Oitijhyo Sarbojonin Cultural Association is inviting women from Hinjewadi Phase 2, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Maan, Marunji and surrounding communities to share the stories that often remain away from the spotlight but quietly shape families, workplaces and neighbourhoods every day.

Through its upcoming “51 Nari Shakti” initiative, the association aims to recognise 51 women whose journeys reflect courage, resilience, leadership, sacrifice, reinvention and everyday strength. The initiative will form part of the association’s Durga Puja celebrations, creating a platform where women are recognised not merely as symbols of Shakti but as individuals whose experiences deserve to be heard.

“Do not just worship Shakti. Recognise her.”

51 Nari Shakti: Why Are 51 Women Being Recognised?

Durga is remembered through many forms, but the idea of Shakti extends far beyond a religious symbol. It can be found in the entrepreneur who starts again after failure, the mother who returns to work after years away, the teacher who influences generations of students and the homemaker whose daily work keeps an entire family moving.

The initiative also seeks stories from young women building independent lives in a new city, daughters caring for ageing parents, senior citizens beginning new chapters and students discovering their voices.

The 51 stories will collectively create a portrait of modern womanhood within communities surrounding Hinjewadi. These neighbourhoods bring together people from different cities, cultures, professions and personal circumstances, making their shared stories an important part of the community's evolving identity.

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Why Does Everyday Strength Matter?

Oitijhyo Sarbojonin Cultural Association is deliberately looking beyond conventional definitions of success. The initiative is not limited to award winners, business founders, senior executives or public personalities.

A Nari Shakti story could belong to a woman who changed careers at 40, raised a child independently, launched a small home-based business, returned to education, learned a new skill, relocated to Pune without a support network or rebuilt her life following a personal setback.

Strength may also appear in quieter forms. A woman who supported another person through a difficult period, continued creating art while managing responsibilities, cared for family members or simply refused to surrender her aspirations can have a story equally worthy of recognition.

The central idea is simple: the story does not need to be dramatic; it needs to be honest.

From Visibility to Recognition During Durga Puja

Women play an essential role in community celebrations. During Durga Puja, they frequently organise cultural programmes, coordinate children, manage costumes, prepare bhog, decorate venues, welcome visitors and handle countless responsibilities behind the scenes.

Yet participation does not always translate into recognition.

With 51 Nari Shakti, Oitijhyo Sarbojonin Cultural Association intends to create a space where women can speak in their own words. Their stories may explore ambition, motherhood, sacrifice, friendship, identity, career transitions, courage, reinvention or the difficult decision to start again.

Nari Shakti is intended to be more than a decorative festival theme. It is a platform for recognising who leads, who contributes, who makes decisions and whose experiences help shape the community.

Why Hinjewadi’s Growing Community Needs These Stories

Hinjewadi Phase 2 and Phase 3, along with Maan and Marunji, have developed into increasingly diverse residential and professional communities. Many residents arrive with ambitions connected to employment, entrepreneurship, family, education or a fresh beginning.

Behind apartment doors, school gates and office entrances are women whose personal journeys may remain unknown even to their neighbours.

One woman may lead a corporate team during working hours while caring for an elderly parent at home. Another may have paused a promising career to raise children and now be preparing for a professional comeback. Someone may be developing a business from her dining table, while another may be experiencing her first Durga Puja away from her hometown.

In a rapidly developing locality, physical proximity does not always create meaningful connection. The 51 Nari Shakti initiative seeks to bridge that gap by using women's stories as a way to build understanding and community.

Who Can Be Part of 51 Nari Shakti?

The initiative welcomes stories from women across generations, professions and backgrounds.

• Working professionals and entrepreneurs
• Homemakers and caregivers
• Teachers, artists and community volunteers
• Students and first-generation graduates
• Senior citizens with decades of lived experience
• Women who changed careers or rebuilt their lives
• Women creating social or community impact
• Women whose everyday courage often goes unnoticed

The stories can be joyful, challenging, emotional, inspiring or quiet. Their value lies in their authenticity and the possibility that one woman's experience may encourage another woman to take a step she has postponed for years.

How Will the Stories Be Presented?

The initiative is designed as more than a collection of photographs or conventional introductions. The association aims to create a living record of women contributing to the local community.

Depending on the stories selected, the journeys may be presented through written profiles, short videos, social media features, stage conversations or a dedicated installation during Durga Puja.

The objective is to allow visitors to encounter the voices and experiences of women living around them — from neighbours who supported families through difficult moments to mothers who continued pursuing their dreams despite growing responsibilities.

Is 51 Nari Shakti Only a Festival Campaign?

The association views the initiative as a potential long-term community tradition rather than a short-lived festival campaign.

There are far more than 51 stories in Hinjewadi, Maan, Marunji and nearby communities. The number 51 is a starting point, representing the many forms through which strength can exist.

For Oitijhyo Sarbojonin Cultural Association, heritage is not limited to traditions inherited from the past. It also includes the values and stories communities choose to preserve for future generations.

Through 51 Nari Shakti, the association seeks to build a tradition where women are not celebrated only as divine symbols during a festival, but recognised throughout the year as individuals, decision-makers, caregivers, professionals, creators and community builders.

“Every community has powerful women. It is time we learned their names.”

How Can Women Share or Nominate a Story?

A woman can share her own story, while family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours can nominate someone they believe deserves recognition.

Stories can highlight what a woman overcame, what she created, what she learned, what she refused to surrender or what advice she would give another woman standing at the beginning of a similar journey.

The 51 selected stories will ultimately represent a much larger community of women whose contributions may never receive a formal award but continue to influence families, workplaces and neighbourhoods.

For Oitijhyo Sarbojonin Cultural Association, that is the essence of Nari Shakti: not simply worshipping strength, but seeing it, hearing it and remembering it.