Southern Star AWWA hosts “ASMITA – Dakshini Kathan 2025” in Pune, celebrates strength and resilience of army wives
AWWA
The Southern Star AWWA in Pune organised “ASMITA–Dakshini Kathan 2025” to honour the courage, identity and achievements of army wives, featuring inspiring stories and notable guest speakers.
Pune, Maharashtra | Nov 17, 2025 – :
A powerful celebration of courage and identity took place in Pune as the Southern Star Army Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) hosted “ASMITA – Dakshini Kathan 2025,” an initiative dedicated to showcasing the resilience and achievements of army wives. The event brought together spouses of serving and retired army personnel, veteran ladies, and distinguished civilian guests to honour the often unseen strength behind the uniform.
The platform featured eight army wives who shared deeply personal stories of finding purpose, rebuilding life through adversity, and creating independent identities despite the challenges that come with military life. Their narratives highlighted experiences such as managing households alone during deployments, rebuilding after personal loss, adapting to constant relocations, and pursuing higher education or entrepreneurship while supporting their families.
ASMITA is one of AWWA’s flagship initiatives, created to amplify the voices and journeys of army spouses. The 2025 edition emphasized that support systems, self-belief and community networks are just as important as personal strength. The women on stage represented a wide spectrum of talent and experience, making it clear that being an army wife is not a limitation but a platform for growth, service and leadership.
Para-athlete and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Deepa Malik, along with Alina Alam, founder of Mitti Café, attended as special guests. Their keynote messages reinforced the central theme of empowerment and reminded the audience that courage is not just shown on the battlefield, but also in everyday life. Their presence added depth to the event, inspiring both the participants and the audience.
Regional President AWWA, Mrs Komal Seth, addressed the gathering and said that ASMITA is not just a cultural programme but a movement to recognise the identity and contribution of army wives. She spoke about the sacrifices made by families and the importance of enabling women to pursue their ambitions, build careers and cultivate personal growth while standing strong beside their soldier spouses. She reiterated AWWA’s commitment to welfare, empowerment and emotional support within the armed forces community.
The event created a space where lived experiences were valued as an important part of military life. It also encouraged the younger generation of army spouses to step forward, connect with mentors and explore opportunities for self-reliance. The audience responded with pride as each story was shared, reflecting a deep sense of community and belonging.
“ASMITA – Dakshini Kathan 2025” ended with renewed energy and a shared pledge to empower, uplift and celebrate the women who form the emotional backbone of the Indian Army. The message was clear: behind every soldier stands a family, and at the heart of that family is a woman whose strength deserves to be recognised and honoured.
