20 women achievers from UP awarded by FICCI Ladies Organisation

LUCKNOW: Twenty women from across the state were awarded for outstanding contribution in their respective fields at a function organized by FICCI Ladies Organization on Friday.

While life-time achievement award went to Sehba Hussain, co-founder of Self-Employed Women's Association, FLO Icon Award was given to Lt.

Commander P Swati for successfully circumnavigating globe with women crew on a sail boat.

Nine women were awarded for their contribution in rural sector. They included Savita Singh (53), who despite being handicapped by polio in her childhood, completed education, took a job and started an NGO, which today runs a boarding school for 250 physically and mentally challenged persons in Ghazipur and Reeta Devi, a mason from Chandauli, who made foray in male bastion and devoted herself for constructing toilets and soak pits in rural areas. The Commonwealth bronze medal winner in karate, Seema Singh from Agra, was awarded under sports category.

Ram Murti and Ram Kumari, both from Kanpur, were awarded for promoting financial management among rural women and organic fertilizer respectively, Dr Vibha Augustine, Sonbhadra, for community health and Alka Srivastava from Hardoi for entrepreneurship. Lt. Col Prabha Awasthi from Kanpur was given 'Women In Army' award.

Under the urban sector, Prof Nishi Pandey, the first female proctor of Lucknow University and former director Academic Staff College, was awarded for contribution in education and women empowerment and Sangeeta Bhargava, who works for 1090 in Sambhal, was awarded for community policing.

Dr Akanksha Loomba (Kanpur) and Dr Jaideep Malhotra (Agra) for health care, Ashima Khaitan (Kanpur) for business, Pawani Khandelwal (Lucknow) for skill development among women, Usha Viswkarma (Lucknow) for training around 80,000 women in self-defence.