Mangaluru : The International Airport Mangaluru, the Gateway To Goodness pulled out all stops for women stakeholders on International Women’s Day. Celebrated the world over on March 8, the theme this year is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’. At the airport, the event was observed with a host of initiatives paying tribute to women power with the theme Break The Bias.

The International Women’s Day was a celebration of women in the aviation sector, reaffirming their abilities of have earned recognition in diverse areas. Mangaluru International Airport is home to many women employees, each of whom are a vital cog in running this facility seamlessly. They make their presence felt in areas as vital as security to manning the airspace at the air traffic control.

The airport welcomed women passengers at arrival and departure halls with a rose and chocolate. Ms Latha Krishnamoorthy from Udupi, one such passenger recalled a similar welcome she received at this very airport three years back. Ms Hema Ramaswamy, a former teacher and Army wife thanked the airport for the gesture. It was special for Aditi Bhat, a young passenger for it was her birthday too.

Later, the gala celebration for women employees included a cake cutting ceremony and fun games for the gathering. The conference room came alive with exuberance of women who vied for the attractive prizes that the organizing committee had arranged. The Housie game with a twist that went down to the wire saw a winner decided by draw of lots, adding to the overall excitement.

A selfie-booth put up at the departure hall to mark the occasion captivated the imagination of travelers and stakeholders alike. The booth offered a 360-degree view of the participant standing on a stationary pad, each doing their own gig to make the moment extra special. The airport shared the short videos with the participants on WhatsApp as well on their e-mails.

The airport also celebrated its ‘Sheroes’ by displaying their tale of grit in leaving their mark in the aviation sector on the social media platforms. The women from different functions expressed their sense of pride at being part of the aviation sector and performing their given roles to the satisfaction of all stakeholders concerned.