The Olympic medallists, PV Sindhu and Shakshi Malik, have become the poster girls for Mathura’s Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan’s (KJSS) ensuing Janamasthmi celebrations in the temple town. The larger message is that India’s “daughters” are a pride and joy, and must be celebrated.

It’s a great time for India if one follows the newscasts heaping effusive praise on our women athletes who have broken all previous Olympic records. The photographs of the two medalists appear along with the iconic image of the new-born Lord Krishna on the banners designed by the Sansthan to propagate the campaign of ‘beti bachao, beti padhao’. This year’s Janamasthmi celebrations would have a clear message for the devotees on saving and educating the girl child.

“The two young girls have saved the country’s honour by winning medals when all others failed”, said Sansthan Secretary, Kapil Sharma. He said by using their photographs the Sansthan wants to convey the powerful message of saving the girl child and removing all myths that they are in anyway inferior to boys.

Sharma said during Janamashtmi celebrations lakhs of devotees throng the temple town form across the world and thus is the best opportunity to connect to them. “We want the people to make a firm resolve that they would never kill girls in their mothers’ womb and educate them without discriminating them from boys“, he said.

Other celebrations in Mathura as a part of Janamashtmi is a mix of technology and history. The birth of Lord Krishna would be depicted by idol emerging out of electronicallu controlled siver lotus. The concept has been designed by artists from Banaras, Mathura and Rajasthan.