On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Anupam Mittal, the founder and CEO of People Group, sparked a thought-provoking conversation on LinkedIn, questioning the real purpose of the day. In his candid post, he challenged the societal norms that still treat gender equality as a matter of debate.

“Is Women’s Day really for women? Or a day for society to do some gender-washing?” Mittal asked, urging readers to reflect on whether the day brings real change or just symbolic gestures.

Comparing Women’s Day to other commemorative days, he pointed out the stark difference in discourse. “On Children’s Day, we don’t hold panels discussing whether kids deserve opportunities. On Men’s Day (ya, there is such a thing) brands don’t flood our feeds with token gestures. Yet, every year, on Women’s Day, we get the same patronising speeches – ‘Women should be paid equally,’ ‘Women should be in leadership,’ ‘Women should be empowered.’ SHOULD be? Why are we still debating this in 2025?”

Mittal highlighted the everyday realities that women face through a hard-hitting reality check:

– “A man who makes Maggi once a month is a ‘supportive husband.’”
– “A girl who’s ‘too ambitious’ is told shaadi ke baad sambhal jaana.”
– “A woman who earns more than her husband is expected to downplay her success.”

He also pointed out the disparities in professional and political representation, citing data that reveals the persistent gender gap:

Women earn 20% less than men for the same jobs.

Fewer than 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.

Only 13% of MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha are women.

Taking a critical stance on tokenism, Mittal remarked, “Yet equality for most largely means handing out some pink cupcakes, posting some empowering content and calling it a day.”

His post underscored the need for concrete action beyond symbolic gestures. “Women don’t need another ‘day.’ They need power, ownership, agency. And agency comes from having a proportionate share of the economy.”

Mittal linked this belief to his own initiative, Shaadi.org, which aims to bring 10 million women back to work. “Coz truth be told, there can be no equality without financial independence.”

The post has resonated with many on social media, sparking discussions on the need for systemic change rather than annual tokenism. As the debate continues, Mittal’s words serve as a call to action for true gender equality beyond just one day of celebration.