Men find it difficult to evolve and accept women as equals because emotionally they are “programmed” to believe they are superior, actor Adil Hussain said at an online event.

He was the guest speaker at the TEDxStXavier’sCollegeKolkata partnered by The Telegraph on March 27.

“It is probably a painful process for men to evolve and accept women as equal because emotionally they are

designed or programmed or conditioned to believe that they are superior and that they can order women around, suppress and oppress women,” said Hussain.

He said that it is difficult to find a man who actually believes that women are equal, and not just intellectually. “…how many men do you know who actually treat women equally in every respect... their decision-making process, their ideas, their ways of expressing themselves?”

“It would need a revolutionary, radical education process in India in order to educate men, even women, that they are equal. There are a lot of women who believe they are not equal. It’s a patriarchal mindset that has been injected… In a civilised country like India, it is high time that we believe, not only believe but treat women equally with dignity and respect,” he said.

Hussain suggested that education is a tool for this change, not just in schools but in households and through government programmes as well.

The speakers at the online TEDx event. The Telegraph

The online event, which was open to students of the college and others, had six speakers who shared their journeys and life experiences.

“The pandemic has impacted people in different ways — emotionally and economically. Many students have been affected mentally and to hear speakers (from different walks of life) share their life experiences encourages them. The speakers shared their experiences and how life has helped them experience new things and how they have been able to succeed,” said Reverend Dominic Savio, principal, St Xavier’s College (Autonomous) Calcutta.

The fact that students have been unable to come out of their homes is depressing but an event like this benefits them, helps them to interact, listen and feel motivated, he said.

The chief guest for the evening, British deputy high commissioner Nick Low, spoke about the long-standing relationship between India and the UK.

Low said that a global pandemic requires a global solution. Increasing cross-border communication and global unity will help combat the situation better, he said.

Cardiac surgeon Kunal Sarkar spoke about the importance of getting vaccinated and the need to avoid social gatherings.

“A vaccinated person has 70 per cent protection from getting the infection and almost 90 per cent protection from getting a severe form of the disease,” said Sarkar.

“Getting vaccinated does not mean you stop wearing a mask. It is important to wear a mask and avoid social gatherings because this is not the time for parties,” he said.

The other speakers at the event were Sayonsom Chanda, founder of Sync Energy AI; Sailesh Singhal, founder of Youth of India, a United Nations conference-accredited organisation; Niren Chaudhary, CEO of Panera Bread, on whom Farhan Akhtar’s character in the film Sky is Pink was based; and Siddhant More, an alumnus of St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, who is the founder of the website Mad Over Marketing (M.O.M).