Women’s Day: Celebrating women achievers of North East

Pramathesh Neog

On the auspicious occasion of Women’s Day celebrated across the globe, we offer utmost respect to all women of the world and we draw the attention of the world towards women’s achievements in the northeast region of India in the last year. Here are some examples of success stories:

Arunachal Pradesh

• Sonam Zomba became the first athlete from the North East to bag gold in the female strawweight category at the All India Mixed Martial Arts Federation (AIMMAF) Nationals held in Delhi from June 16-19, 2022. Sonam was chosen for the Asian Championship 2022 and is the first girl to win two gold medals.
• Rupa Bayor Neba won a gold medal in the World Taekwondo President Cup Europe WT G2 event in Istanbul, Turkey, on February 1, 2023.
• Kesang Lhamu Khrimey and Nyabom Bagra Lomi from Arunachal Pradesh have been conferred the ‘Inspiring Woman Award’ by the All India Achievers’ Conference (AIAC) for their work in the social sector.

Assam

• Noted freedom fighter and Gandhian social worker, Late Shakuntala Choudhary (‘Shakuntala Baideo’), was felicitated with the Padma Shri award in 2022 by the Government of India. She hailed from Kamrup in Assam and was known for her commitment and devotion to popularising the Gandhian way of life. She worked for the well-being of villagers, especially women and children.
• Nayanmoni Saikia etched her name in gold with India’s victory in the final of lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games 2022 (CWG) in Birmingham.
• Aimee Baruah received the National Film Award for her directorial debut, Semkhor, a Dimasa language film, in 2022.
• Sanjukta Parasor received the Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Training in April 2022 while on deputation to the National Investigation Agency.
• Dr Purnima Devi Barman received the United Nations Environment Programme’s ‘Champions of the Earth award for 2022 in the Entrepreneurial Vision category and World Female Ranger Award 2022’ for her exemplary service and commitment to conservation.
• Meenakshi Goswami, the Principal of Chandranath Higher Secondary School in Sonitpur district, was presented the prestigious Award by President Droupadi Murmu on Teachers’ Day, 2022.
• Dr Binita Pathak has been selected for the prestigious SERB – Women Excellence Award 2022 by the Science & Engineering Research Board, a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India.
• Duina Barbaruah was awarded the India Prime Women Icon Award 2022 by Foxclues. She is a former journalist with DD News and a media panellist of BJP, Assam Pradesh.
• Tanupriya Kalita was awarded India Prime Author Award 2022 by Foxclues for her poetry book Emuthi Sagar.
• Dhritimala Deka has been chosen for the Axom Gaurav award. She has helped with close to 300 funerals.
• Shilpika Bordoloi, Momee Pegu and Jeuti Kalita from Assam received FICCI (FLO) NE Women Achievers Award for Excellence held in Guwahati.
• Shreya Bhattacharjee receives the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar. The ceremony took place on January 23 in New Delhi.
• Rita Kakati Shah has recently been conferred with the ‘Presidential Lifetime Achievement award by US President Joe Biden for her contribution to international mentoring and volunteering to support young people, women and minority communities of all ages.

Manipur

• Lourembam Bino Devi was conferred with the Padma Shri award in recognition of her distinguished service in the field of art preserving the Leeba textile art of Manipur for over five decades.
• Moirangthem Muktamani Devi was conferred with the Padma Shri award in recognition of her service as an ‘Inspirational Woman Entrepreneur from Manipur exporting and popularising handcrafted woollen shoes’.
• Saikhom Mirabai Chanu clinched the gold in the 49-kg category at the Commonwealth Games, 2022, held in Birmingham, England.
• Linthoi Chanambam became India’s first athlete to win a gold medal at the World Cadet Judo Championship, in 2022, in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
• Solimla Jajo won the silver medal at the 13th World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2022. The event took place at Central Phuket in Thailand on December 9.
• Alana Golmei received FICCI (FLO) NE Women Achievers’ Award for Excellence held in Guwahati.
• Nirupa Sanjenbam was recognised as a Woman Achiever in the North-East festival organized in Agartala as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Meghalaya

• Badaplin War was conferred the Padma Shri award in recognition of her distinguished service in Literature and Education.
• Hasina Kharbhih from Impulse NGO Network is among the 75 women honoured as Women Transforming India by the NITI Aayog.
• Ajima Sangma has been selected for India C in the Women’s Challenger Tournament, a BCCI mixed tournament.
• Phoebe Dale Nongrum received FICCI (FLO) NE Women Achievers Award for Excellence held in Guwahati.

Mizoram

• Judoka Lalhumhimi bagged gold at the National Games 2022 in Gujarat in the 52 kg category.

Nagaland

• Gamchi Timre R Marak received the National Award on Teachers’ Day, 2022 from President Droupadi Murmu.
• Mimi Yhoshii received the National Award on Teachers’ Day, 2022 from President Droupadi Murmu. Yhoshii received the award for providing midday meals from an indigenously developed kitchen garden, building useful objects out of waste materials, and introducing vocational classes for student.
• Imdanglemla Aier and Zhonelü Tunyi from Kikhüma village, Kevinourheno Seyie, Yomah Konyak, and L Dorothy Chang were awarded the NSCW Award 2022 by the Nagaland State Commission for Women. Imdanglemla Aier is the first Naga woman to be nominated as a candidate to the Rajya Sabha from the state of Nagaland.
• Neithonuo T. Liegise, Sali Kez Ngully and Vilivi Sheqi were felicitated during the North East Festival, 2022 in Agartala on May 1, 2022. The programme was held under the theme “Role of Women in the Development of North East” as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration. They were accompanied by the Additional Secretary of Social Welfare, Bodeno S. Colo & Director of Social Welfare, Tosheli Zhimomi.
• Arenla Subong and Nengneithem Hengna from Nagaland received FICCI (FLO) NE Women Achievers Award for Excellence held in Guwahati.

Sikkim

• Phurki Lhamu Bhutia and Reshmi Chettri successfully passed the All India Football Federation Category-2 Referee’s examination. They are now the full-fledged national-level referee recognised by the All India Football Federation & Asian Football Confederation.
• Women runners from Sikkim performed brilliantly at the Tata Steel 25k Kolkata Run, which took place on December 19. Among them Saraswati Rai, Bandana Subba, Preity Rai, and Samjana Subba earned positions.
• Jetshen Dohna Lama, a nine-year-old girl from Sikkim, emerged as the winner of  Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs Season 9.
• Bhumika Biswakarma and Everester Manita Pradhan won Sikkim Awards – Social Worker Of The Year 2022 and Sportsperson Of The Year 2022 respectively by Nirmala Devi Foundation

Tripura

• Asmita Dey won gold medals in the 48 kg category at the All India University in Kanpur and Khelo India in Bengaluru.
• Puhabi Chakraborti won the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) for innovating two artificial intelligence (AI)-based mobile applications.
• Akshaya Shree of Tad Udyog Pvt. Ltd. from Tripura is among the 75 women honoured as Women Transforming India by the NITI Aayog.
• Prothistha Samanta won two gold medals in Vaulting Table and Balancing Beam in National Games 2022.
• Dhriti Debnath, Parinita Roy, Parijat Saha, Rima Begam, Puja Bhattacharjee, Payel Das, Nandita Sen, Isha Sutradhar, Deepshikha Sen, Susmita Debnath, Sutapa Roy won medals in 41st National Yoga Championship was held at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Puducherry.