Pratibha Naitthani

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Dr.Pratibha Naitthani
On an Event held at Vashi, Mumbai
Background information
Born (10-01-00)January 10
Mumbai, India

Pratiba Naitthani is an Indian professor and activist. She is known for opposing vulgarity and violence on Indian televisions.

Early life

Born in Mumbai, her family hails from Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Pratiba Natthani is based in Mumbai. She currently teaches Political Science at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Her father Professor Dr. S. S. Naitthani was the pioneer of Hindi department in Bombay University and St Xavier's College. She is best known for her Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Bombay High Court against the broadcast of all Adult films and programmes on cable television. Due to her efforts, even the international channels had to adhere to the programming code of India.Since the law provides that no Adult content can be shown on television 24 hours, the Bombay High Court passed various orders in her PIL. Though she has been given the title of moral police, it is actually legal policing. She says that if a film is certified as Adult by the censor board, whereby only adult can watch it in a closed theater then how can the same films be shown on television which is watched by children as well? As per the laws any adult programme can not be shown on a public means. The channels showing violence and sex in India blatantly violated Indian laws whereas the same channels abide by the laws of other countries. In India their argument was that they are foreign channels and hence need not follow the Indian laws. Whereas her argument was that if the software is produced here, the sponsors are here and revenue is generated from here then how can it be a foreign channel. Besides she also mentioned that being a foreign national does not give a licence to people to violate Indian laws then how can the channels give this lame argument?

In her PIL she had drawn the attention of the court not only towards the violation of the law but also towards the need to have an independent regulatory body for television and the down linking laws in place. The court took note of the issue and directed the I & B ministry, censor board and the police to perform their duty and take necessary steps to bring things in order. As a result of the same the Govt of India had to frame down linking laws, thus making it mandatory for all the channels, whether Indian or foreign, to follow the Indian broadcasting laws. Besides now as per the order of the court all the channels have to send their films for recertification to the censor board and obtain a U certificate, making it fit for television viewing. Besides all the documentaries, music videos and trailers of films also have to get a U certificate before telecast on television.

Career

Pratiba Naitthani is a lecturer of Political Science in St. Xavier College, Besides teaching in college, she has been taking up issues of welfare of women, children and tribals. In Mumbai she is a member of voluntary organisation of reconstructive and plastic surgeons- Reconstructive Foundation, which offer free plastic and reconstructive surgery to primarily children and people from economically underprivileged section of our society, who have suffered burn injuries or any other physical deformity due to accidents of since birth. At present she is also involved in the project - Save the face, started by Padmashree Dr A K Gupta. The project is part of the social service offered by the Reconstructive Surgery Foundation. Over the years several patients, mainly women came to the foundation for help, who were victims of acid attacks. As the number of such patients grew, Dr Gupta decided to take this issue up at a larger scale. Ms Naittahni has been helping him in the project, which not only offers help to the victims but is also demanding the rehabilitation of the victims, free medical help and severe punishment to the culprits. So far the duo have succeeded in getting the punishment for the acid attacker increased from earlier punishment of 7 years of imprisonment to 10 years, to be extended up to life term. Besides the victim is entitled to Rs. 5-10 lakh compensation to be paid by the culprit. However Ms Naitthani and Dr Gupta have been asking for a plan of rehabilitation of the victims, and have made several suggestions to reduce the acid attacks, such as: Acid sale should be regulated and availability of acid should be restricted, the victims should get job reservation as disables (For this purpose they are suggesting that facial deformity should be included in the list of physical disability, thus enabling the victims to get job reservations), free medical treatment for the victims, (because the victims need 30-50 surgeries, which is very expensive), stringent and faster punishment to the attacker etc.

In 2005-6 the govt of India had decided to teach sex education in all schools, in some cases starting from 3rd std to 12t std. When Ms Naittahni went through the syllabus she was shocked to see it. The content was more pornographic than educative and was completely unsuitable for school education. With guidance and support from Jain Muni Shri Ratnasundersurishwar Maharaj she filed a petition in the Rajyasabha petition committee. Besides the public opinion was also considered by the committee on the same. After much deliberations it was unanimously decided by the committee to with draw the objectionable syllabus.

She has been instrumental in taking up issues of advertisements which might prove fatal if copied by children, and also issues of indecent representation of women in the media.

She is also part of the struggle of tribals in Uttarakhand fighting for their traditional rights violated by the conservation policies of the state govt.

She is a Rajasthani folk singer and has album to her credit. She has been to 16 countries in the world as a cultural representative being a member of Rajasthani Ghoomar group for India. Along with the group she conducts workshops to promote rajasthani songs, dance and culture. Ms Naitthani has been the only non Rajasthani singer who had the honour of singing and recording the state song of Udaipur royal family- "Mharo veer Shiromani Des".

Awards and Honors

She is also fond of travelling and trecking. She was among the first 7 women who went for the Nanda devi Raj jat, a pilgrimage of Nandadevi [Parvati] in Uttarakhand held once in 13 to 16 years. Since centuries women were not allowed to go for this pilgrimage which is 280 km long, going up 17.500 feet above sea level to be completed on foot in 22 days. When the pilgrimage began obviously she had to face resistance as women traditionally were never allowed to go for it. But without fighting she convinced the authorities to give her a fair chance and not to be biased as she is a woman. With her determination and efforts she has paved the way for future generation women to go for the pilgrimage.

She has been on trekking trips and has been to areas of Uttarakhand, Everest Base Camp etc. She is among the few women who have done the route from Dehradoon to Leh Laddakh on Motorcycle.

She was among the 29 women selected by India Today in 2005 as Power Goddesses of India. Besides many awards for her contribution in the field of social service and media issues she has been awarded Pannadhai Awadrd by Maharana Mewar Foundation, Udaipur for going beyond the call of duty for social service.

She has also been felicitated by the Mayor of Mumbai on International Women’s Day in 2007 as the Outstanding Women of Mumbai city.

External links

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