Lucknow, July 22 -- Governor Anandiben Patel on Monday asked every individual to show more support to women entrepreneurs, those in leadership roles and others seeking employment opportunities. The governor was speaking at a conference, 'Breaking Barriers - Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship', organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce here on Monday. Fourteen women who excelled in their fields were felicitated at the event. "Several women try hard to get their loans sanctioned to begin their start-ups. I believe it is high time we provide them with initial funding and monetary support so that they can earn their livelihood, and educate and feed their children. Providing opportunities to women means providing opportunities to at least a few more people at the same time," she said. She also stressed spreading awareness about the HPV vaccine and getting at least one woman or girl from an underprivileged background vaccinated. She encouraged businessmen and businesswomen to employ and train transgender persons. "Employing transgender persons will provide them with self-reliance and ensure that their family and society begin accepting them. They face prejudices in society. If a transgender child is born and the family rejects him or her, then arrangements should be made so that the child can stay in an orphanage, just like other children and get education for a respectable life ahead. It is lacking in our social thinking that we do not accept them," she said. Among those felicitated were Apollomedics Super Speciality Hospital chairperson Dr Kavita Somani, renowned dermatologist Dr Pranshu Mishra, city-based architect who designed the map for Kabir Academy at Magahar Anita Srivastava and Shikha Gupta, who worked extensively for children with disabilities and women. While felicitating the women achievers, the governor said she wanted to see women from rural backgrounds coming to such conferences in the near future. Minister for horticulture, agriculture and marketing Dinesh Pratap Singh said the governor achieved top posts after facing several obstacles in her life. "I would like to appeal to the governor to organise a programme for women entrepreneurs wherein we can tell them about ways to reach the global markets," said Singh. Folk singer Malini Awasthi, social worker Namrata Pathak, former national president of IACC Lalit Bhasin, seminar coordinator and former UP minister Swati Singh, IACC chairperson (Lucknow) Reena Singh, and IACC members Upasana Arora and Kashish Tyagi were also present in the programme. IACC president (UP) Mukesh Bahadur Singh presented the vote of thanks....