New Delhi, June 28, 2021: Plan India, a not for profit organisation striving to advance children’s rights and equality for girls, through a virtual event announced the winners of the fourth edition of Plan India Impact Awards who are on the frontlines as COVID Warriors, Community Volunteers, and service providers of ensuring last mile coverage
Among the categories, Kumari GN, from Karnataka was awarded for her contribution as the best Anganwadi Worker; Bharati Menaria from Rajasthan won in the ASHA/ANM worker category; Chid Welfare Committee, Kancheepuram from Tamil Nadu was declared winner in the best Child Welfare Committee category; Paritosh Pant from Maharashtra was felicitated as the best Community Volunteer; and, the Pancham Mahila Swayamsiddha Bachat Gat from Maharashtra was recognized as the best Women Self Help Group. Disha Tandon and Ajinkya Dhariya took the limelight as the best Young Changemakers in the female and male categories respectively. Plan India also had two internal categories for which Th. Dashumati Devi from Imphal won Plan India Ahana Prerak award for his exemplary contributions and Samirul Islam from Bihar was awarded the best Plan India Frontline Worker. For the special award category- Last mile champions for girls’ rights, Yogesh Kumar from Delhi was recognised as the winner.
Addressing the winners, Ms.Upma Chawdhry, IAS, Retired as Secretary, Government of India. Former Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, and a National Jury Member of Plan India Impact Awards, in her keynote address shared. “It’s important to celebrate and recognize the last mile champions as they help to ensure equity in delivery and communication in social settings. They add to the resilience of communities by being the first point of contact in emergencies and pandemic. Today, I am delighted to be part of such initiative and would like to appreciate and thank the work of people who have been tirelessly working as Anganwadi workers, ASHAs, ANM, PHC nurses, village school teachers, community workers and other frontline workers.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohammed Asif, Executive Director at Plan India said “Plan India believes that the Impact Awards are an opportunity to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the good work being done at the grassroots levels by millions of frontline workers across our country. Also, the Awards help to inspire thousands of other frontline development workers and changemakers to do more, to do better and go that extra mile as the catalyst and champion of development in their respective villages and urban slums. This year we included new categories to honour more changemakers, particularly our COVID warriors, who have extended public health support and services during the pandemic to poor families. We appreciate the inspiring work these champions continue to do and it’s our commitment towards them that has let us organise the Awards and recognize their contribution.”