Concerned over bias against girls in the society, the President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil today said that though gender ratio has risen in the last decade, it falls short of the global ratio. Mrs. Patil was addressing a function in New Delhi after presenting Stree Shakti Puraskar for the year 2011 on the eve of International Women's Day today.

She said that the country has about 37 million less women compared to men. Most worrisome, however, is that in the 0-6 age group, there are 914 girls as against every 1000 boys, the lowest since independence.

Mrs. Patil said, the girl child like the boy child has potential to be an individual capable to contributing to the society. The thinking of the next generation should be shaped so that it is free of social prejudices against women.

Mrs. Patil presented six Stree Shakti Puraskar to illustrious women of country. The Award carries a cash prize of three lakh rupees and a citation.

The Women and Child Development Minister Mrs. Krishna Tirath also spoke on this occasion and said that government is going to bring Sexual harassment bill to tackle the harassment of women.

AIR correspondent reports that in modern India, and more particularly since Independence, more and more women have come forward to shoulder responsibilities with men in various walks of life. Sarojini Naidu and Kasturba Gandhi were at the forefront of freedom struggle.

Indira Gandhi, the longest serving woemn head of Government in the world, remained Prime Minister for about 16 years. Lata Mangeshkar created a world record of singing maximum number of recorded songs.