Sudha Murty's first Rajya Sabha speech: Urges government for affordable cervical cancer vaccination

In her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha, author, philanthropist and chairperson of The Murty Trust, Sudha Murty urged the government to adopt a vaccination programme to combat cervical cancer among women. 

“There is a vaccination which is given to girls, between the age of nine to 14, known as a cervical vaccination. If the girls take that, it (cancer) can be avoided... we should promote vaccination for the benefit of our girls because prevention is better than cure,” Murty asserted in her address.  

Highlighting the importance of women, she quoted her father, “When a mother dies, it is counted as one death in the hospital, but for the family, a mother is lost forever.” 

Murty added that cervical vaccination has been developed is being used for the last 20 years. “It worked very well. It is not expensive. Today it is Rs 1,400 for people like me who are in the field. If the government intervenes and negotiates... you can bring it to Rs 700-800. We have such a large population. It will be beneficial for our girls in future,” she said. 

Murty was appointed to Rajya Sabha by President Draupadi Murmu on the eve of International Women’s Day. 

The philanthropist also highlighted the importance of promoting domestic tourism. She proposed that 57 domestic tourist sites be nominated as World Heritage Sites. These include the Bahubali statue in Karnataka, Lingaraja Temple, Unakoti rock carvings in Tripura, Shivaji forts in Maharashtra, Chausath Yogini temple in Mitawali, Lothal in Gujarat, and Gol Gumbad, among others 

“In India, we have 42 World Heritage sites but 57 are pending … we should bother about those 57 sites,” Murty stressed, underscoring the importance of preserving India’s cultural heritage, mentioning landmarks like the Srirangam temples and Mughal gardens in Kashmir. 

Murty further emphasised the need for improved facilities such as toilets and roads to enhance tourist experiences and boost revenue. Additionally, Murty highlighted concerns about issues such as rising prices, unemployment, farmer suicides, and women’s plight, urging the central government to prioritise action on these critical matters. 

(With inputs from agencies)