The first edition of the Sarojini Naidu Women Achievers’ Award 2023 was presented to 14 outstanding women achievers of Sikkim from various fields and backgrounds at an event in Gangtok on March 28, 2023. The award, which is an annual event, is aimed at encouraging, supporting, and recognizing the contributions of women to society.
Chief Guest KN Lepcha, Education Minister, expressed his admiration for the women who were awarded and praised them for their transformative efforts. Along with special guests Kala Rai, Councillor GMC, Pabitra Bhandari, Chairperson OBC Board, Kiran Rasaily, Retired Bureaucrat, and representatives from Himalaya Darpan and Techno India Group World School, he congratulated all of the awardees and encouraged them to continue their good work.
The 14 women who received the award this year were Bimala Pradhan, a renowned singer, Deepa Rai, a poet and artist, Jempandi Norzum Targain, an educationist and principal of PNGSS, Jhetsun Dohna Lama, a child singer, Mayalmit Lepcha, an environmentalist and social activist, Meena Gautam, an actress and news presenter, Manita Pradhan, a mountaineer, Nita Nirash, a senior journalist, Pasangkit Lepcha, a social worker, Priyanka Tamang, a radio jockey and RJ, Rinzing Doma Bhutia, a paraglider, Sandhya Subba, an entrepreneur, Sulochana Limboo, a martial artist, and Sunita Gadaily, an entrepreneur.
Prajwal Chowdhary, Executive Chairman of Himalaya Darpan, spoke about the inspiration behind the award and the reason for naming it after Sarojini Naidu, who fought for women’s rights and was instrumental in establishing women as equal members of Indian society.
By Tiasola Pongen. The writer is a fourth year student under Department of Community Science in Central Agricultural University, Tura Megalaya. She can be contacted at tiasolapongener12@gmail.com
