Patiala: Punjabi University has released a report on ‘Project Pehchan,’ a joint health initiative that reached nearly 1,500 rural women and adolescent girls across Punjab to promote menstrual, reproductive, and nutritional awareness.Vice-chancellor Jagdeep Singh unveiled the report in Patiala alongside chief guest Sukhjeet Kaur, former dean of SUSCT, Tangori. Conducted by the university’s Centre for Women’s Studies in collaboration with social welfare organisation Global Sikhs, the initiative covered seven rural areas and two schools.The project delivered scientifically supported, culturally sensitive health education to underserved communities lacking access to reliable medical counseling, tackling long-standing dietary deficiencies and social stigmas.“Fostering awareness about women’s health and menstrual hygiene in rural areas is the need of the hour,” VC Jagdeep Singh said. “Collaborative, ground-level interventions like ‘Pehchan’ play a pivotal role in driving genuine social transformation and breaking generational silences.”Highlighting the project’s scope, Sukhjeet Kaur stated that the campaign moved beyond mere sanitary pad distribution to establish safe, non-judgmental environments where women and young girls could openly discuss reproductive hygiene, dietary needs, and entrenched cultural myths.A fieldwork presentation during the unveiling documented how interactive community sessions helped surface neglected health issues previously suppressed by social restrictions, modesty, and misinformation.
