The Week That Was: Justice Bela Retires, Banu Mushtaq wins Booker Prize & More

By: WE Staff | Sunday, 25 May 2025

Individuals in society have a set idea of viewing men as frontline workers and women taking care of the household chores. But in contemporary times, everything has changed exceptionally. Indian women in all corners of society have demonstrated their best skills and capabilities of performing extraordinary work that was, to some extent, male-dominated. Women of India have made significant contributions to developing the country in many aspects of society. Women these days are proving their worth and confidence in all possible fields. Indian women are shining throughout the world.

Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine published such news this week, in which Indian women have demonstrated their strength and adaptability.

Justice Bela M Trivedi Retires After Historic Tenure in Supreme Court

Supreme Court justice Bela M Trivedi, the eleventh woman to become a Supreme Court justice in the court's 75-year history, retired after three and a half years on the bench. Significantly, she started her career in the judiciary as a trial court judge in the state of Gujarat in July 1995 and became one of the few to have ascended from the lower courts to the highest court. During her career, she was a part of several landmark Supreme Court judgments.

Vivriti Raises $20M to Uplift Women-Led MSMEs & Transform India's Credit Landscape

Vivriti Asset Management (VAM) has taken a significant step forward in its mission to credit access for small and medium enterprises in India that often get overlooked. Their lead fund, the Vivriti India Retail Assets Fund (VIRAF), has now raised an additional $20 million senior debt investment from the Development Bank of Austria (OeEB). This brings the total commitment to the fund to a whopping $165 million, moving them closer towards their eminent goal of $250 million.

Kannada Writer Banu Mushtaq Wins International Booker Prize 2025 for Heart Lamp

Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories by Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq, has won the International Booker Prize 2025 in a historic win as the first collection of short stories ever to be given the award. The novel was translated from English to Kannada by translator Deepa Bhasthi, based in Madikeri.

Goa Launches 'Safety First' Initiative to Empower & Protect Women & Children

On Wednesday, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho launched the "Safety First – Empowering and Protecting Women and Children in Goa" initiative at the Kadamba Bus Stand in Panaji, marking a major step to improve public safety. By putting awareness posters and helpline stickers in Kadamba buses, private buses, taxis, and rickshaws across the state, the campaign aims to make travel safer.

MH Minister Aditi Tatkare Orders Immediate Launch of Women's Employment Hub in Nagpur

Aditi Tatkare, the Maharashtra Minister of Women and Child Development, has given clear instructions for the immediate establishment of a women-focused employment hub in Koradi, Nagpur district, under the Maharashtra Women's Economic Development Corporation (MAVIM).

Through skill development and opportunities for sustainable livelihood, this initiative seeks to empower rural women. One of the hub's main features is a clothing training facility that should create 200 jobs for women from self-help groups (SHGs). In order to guarantee regular participation, the center will provide a six-month structured sewing and tailoring training program with timely stipend payments. Tatkare directed officials to launch the center using a single-tender process in order to minimize delays and expedite the project's rollout.

Traditional Climate Policies Fail to address Structural Gender Inequalities: Study

A study published in the Journal of Human Rights and Social Work introduces a gender-transformative climate framework, integrating feminist theory, climate justice, and on-ground research. The paper, titled 'Urgent Imperatives: Advancing Gender Equality in Climate Action', calls for a radical shift in climate change policy and action, focusing on the leadership and experiences of women, particularly those from marginalized communities in the Global South.