Cherie Blair to host 'Women Mean Business' conference in India

London, Dec 3 (ANI): Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is all set to host a conference titled "Women Mean Business" in India.

The conference slated to be held next week will also see her unveil awards for female Indian entrepreneurs.

The Telegraph quoted Mrs Blair, who is patron of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, established by Pinky Lilani, as saying: "I gather, actually, that there are awards [in India], but they are not the same as a Pinky award, because if you have got a Pinky award it's seriously researched and seriously peer-judged, and you are up against great competition - not somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody else. That's the culture we want to bring over to Mumbai."

She added: "We want to showcase and prove how much women in business in India are already achieving, and also explore what the barriers are and what we can do about it.

"We are launching the Women of the Future Awards in Mumbai. The aim is to take them back next year and really have a serious competition."

Mrs Blair, 55, however, made it clear that her efforts were not directed against men.

She said: "It's not because we hate men...As a mother of three sons, and a husband who I like pretty well, I think good men are very important in this world. It's when good men and good women come together as equal partners that things really get going." (ANI)