Late Smt. Santosh Kochhar was a true inspiration to many. She was a successful industrialist-cum-social worker, who despite of coming from a well-off family was always sensitive towards the poor; her spirit to step forward and help the needy was something everyone adored her for. She has long been a champion of women’s rights and was a great advocate for education. She felt deeply for the needs of orphans, special children and deprived women of our society, her philanthropic activities helped thousands of such people, both in her community and across the country. Even in her 70s, she was highly vibrant and paid regular visits for our “Social Sammelans” and general grass-root field works. Indeed, a gem of a person. Her death came as a shock to many but left behind a legacy of courage and dedication to serve others. She was a shining example of how one can use their resources to make the world a better place. She believed that everyone should have access to education and opportunity, and worked hard to make sure that those who were deprived were given a chance. Her selflessness will continue to inspire everyone to use their privilege to help those in need. People like her are one of a kind, and to celebrate her and what she meant and did for the disadvantaged society, ROSHNI presented Smt. Santosh Kochhar Memorial Awards for Women Empowerment. This award has been inaugurated in the loving memory of Late Smt. Santosh Kochhar, on her birth anniversary, 27th December 2022. It has been launched with the intent to appreciate the efforts of women and motivate them to keep working hard in the fields of entrepreneurship, health, agriculture, education and social work.
Commencing from the year 2022, it will be given out annually in the form of cash, material, or other forms of recognition. The financial assistance might help to alleviate some of the economic burdens that the recipients may face. The award has been established to help empower women who have been neglected, marginalized, and disadvantaged in their communities. It is also meant to encourage and motivate them to take on new challenges and pursue their dreams.
This year, the Award Ceremony was organized at Constitution Club of India, Rafi Marg, New Delhi-10001. A total of 12 empowered women were selected as awardees to be honoured at the ceremony. Out of which, 9 were Nursing Staffs of renowned Government Hospitals who excelled at their job during the COVID crisis; and 3 were Widows who were also awarded with cash prizes as they became financially independent in the tough times of their lives and were proving for their families.
Shri Mithlesh Tiwari, Former Member of Bihar Vidhan Sabha, joined the event as our Chief Guest and addressed the audience with his enlightening speech. The Guest of Honours who graced the occasion with their august presence were, Smt. Yogita Singh, Councillor- Kalkaji, President- Mahila Morcha, BJP, New Delhi; Shri Ambikanand Jha, GM & Zonal Head, UCO Bank, New Delhi; Dr. Pooja Khosla, Sr. Consultant, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital; Smt. Nita Sodha, Sarpanch, Natwara, Tonk, Rajasthan; Shri Manoj Pandey, Advocate, Supreme Court of India; RSVP’d by Dr. Ratna Trivedi, Advisor, ROSHNI. This event was CC sponsored by UCO Bank, LIC, NSIC and Shubh Tradex Pvt. Ltd., along with individual donations.
We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of women who have excelled in their respective fields and made a difference in their communities, defying the odds. We hope that the “Smt. Santosh Kochhar Memorial Awards for Women Empowerment” will continue to provide hope and encouragement to these women and help them achieve everything they ever dreamed of.