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Kolkata, Oct 28 (PTI) Jyotsna Halder, woman pradhan of Maipith Baikunthapur gram panchayat in the Sunderbans, was honoured with the ‘India Child Care Champion Award 2025’ on Tuesday, on the occasion of the UN-declared International Day of Care and Support. The honour, jointly instituted by FORCES (Forum for Creche and Child Care Services) and Mobile Creches, was conferred on her at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi. Halder was selected as the best at the national level in the Public Representative category for her work in preventing child drowning in the Sunderbans, where 25 people die from drowning every day, half of them children, CINI (Child in Need Institute), which gave support to her in ensuring a safe secure environment for children in the gram panchayat area, said in a statement. Reversing the prevalent stereotypes, Halder did not act as the rubber stamp of her husband in taking the decision, which is the normal practice for most female panchayat pradhans in the country. National Advocacy Officer, Injury Prevention, CINI, Sujoy Roy said, “Halder is the first woman panchayat head in India to start a community-based drowning prevention programme. Her leadership, supported by ICMR and The George Institute (TGI), is exemplary.” Under Halder’s leadership, Maipith Baikunthapur, in South 24 Parganas district, launched a community-based child drowning prevention programme. With technical support from CINI, two Kavach (Armour) Centres were established in Maipith and Bhubaneswari gram panchayats. Kavach is the day care safe shelters for children during the day and noon hours when their parents are at work in fields or households. These life-saving creches have reported zero child injuries or deaths, including drowning deaths, in the past year. The model has been recognised by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO India as one that “should be scaled across the country.” Halder also ensured the model’s inclusion in the gram panchayat development plan (GPDP), a first in India. Receiving the award, Halder said, “This award is for every mother, every child and the CINI family who believed in us even when the storms raged. This work would not have been possible without the support of our MLA Ganesh Chandra Mandal and BDO Kultali, Shri Suchandan Baidya.” PTI SUS MNB
