The XVII Award Ceremony of the Bhanumathi Neelakantan Awards of Jamshedpur was held on Monday, 25 April, 2011, at 6:30 pm. Mrs Surekha Nerurkar (educator and social worker) was the Chief Guest and Mrs. Urmila Singh the Guest of Honour. There are five categories under which the awards are given. Here is the profile of this year's winners.
Profile of the Five Awardees
Ms. Sadhna Mandal
(Category – I) – Physically Challenged
Sponsored by : Mrs. Dilith Castleton, Hony. Jt. Secretary,
Tata Steel Rural Development Society.
Ms. Sadhna Mandal is a resident of Khairpal village, Potka Block. She is 36 years of age. An incident in her childhood affected her life. She was badly burnt in a fire at home and totally lost the strength in her legs. Initially she was completely shattered but later she came to terms with her disability. Sadhna helps her sister in making puffed rice and in vegetable cultivation. She has proved that the only disability in life is a bad attitude.
Ms. Shakuntala Baskey
(Category – II) (Woman Entrepreneur)
Sponsored by : Mrs. Dilith Castleton, Hony. Jt. Secretary,
Tata Steel Rural Development Society.
Ms. Shakuntala Baskey, a 27 year old woman, is an inspiration for the society. Left a widow after just 2 years of married life,she rejuvenated her strength to move ahead in life. With the support of the Tribal Culture Society she formed a self help group and motivated people to invest some saving in income generating activities like Poultry and Rice selling business and Hand made paper products. Her group has been registered under the society registration act and has taken over the house keeping of the Tribal Culture Centre. Her future plans are to get many orders and involve needy people in her business to help them earn a better living.
Ms. Anju Harpal
(Category – IV) Outstanding Student.
Sponsored by Mrs. Radha Srinivasan, Teacher of D. B. M. S. Lilliput School.
Ms. Anju Harpal is a very promising student of the Project School D. B. M. S. Lilliput School. She has studied here for the past six years and she has just answered her Matric Examination. She wants to continue her studies and pursue her college education. Despite coming from a very poor background,she has made a mark for herself in academics,in Cricket (both National and International level) and has won several prizes in co-curricular activities. She is an excellent orator and wishes to gain an education so that she may be able to give something back to the society.
Ms. Sandhya Rani Tandi
(Category – IV) – Outstanding Student.
Sponsored by Mr. Atul Ranjan Sahay, Hony. Gen. Secretary, National Association for the Blind.
Ms. Sandhya Rani Tandi was three years of age when she was afflicted with chickenpox which affected her eye-sight. She is currently enrolled with NIOS for Sr. Secondary and wants to pursue her education further to become a teacher. She has a keen interest in sports, music and other cultural activities.
Ms. Aduri Sahis
(Category – V) Social Worker.
Sponsored by : Mrs. Dilith Castleton, Hony. Jt. Secretary,
Tata Steel Rural Development Society.
Ms. Aduri Sahis - 40 year old Aduri belongs to a poor family of Haludbani village Patamda. She was married at the age of 11 and the financial condition of her family forced her to step outside the house. Initially she accompanied her mother-in-law who worked as a mid-wife in a village. She gradually learnt the rules of safe delivery and also got training at the TSRDS. She now works for the community by making the mother and the family aware of safe delivery. She motivates the mother to go in for institutional delivery and to take the new born to the nearest Anganbadi for immunization.