CPREEC - EIACP Programme Centre, Resource Partner on Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India

 On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today met and interacted with the recipients of the Stree Shakti Puraskar and Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2014.

During the interaction, the awardees shared their experiences and sources of inspiration. The Prime Minister urged the awardees to help spread awareness about various welfare schemes and initiatives of the Union Government, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and the pension scheme announced during the recent Union Budget. He said these schemes could help women in a big way, and civil society could play a key role in communicating their benefits to the people who needed them most.

Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development, was present on the occasion.

Extreme right in the photograph is Dr. Nanditha Krishna, Honorable Director CPREEC - one of the winner of Nari Shakti Puraskar for the year 2014. A historian, environmentalist and writer based in Chennai,Dr. Nanditha Krishna has a Ph.D. in Ancient Indian Culture from Bombay University. She is also professor and research guide for the Ph.D. programme of the University of Madras and has received several national and international awards, including the University Women of Asia Award, Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, Dr M S Swaminathan Award for Environment Protection, Stree Ratna and Seva Ratna.

As Founder-Director of C P R Environmental Education Centre (CPREEC), a Centre of Excellence, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, she has pioneered documentation of India's ecological traditions and restoration of sacred groves. Dr Krishna is author of several books such as "Sacred Plants of India" (Penguin); "Sacred Animals of India", "Book of Demons", "Book of Vishnu" (Penguin); "Madras Then" (Roli Books); "Madras-Chennai" (New Horizon); "Balaji Venkateshwara"; "Ganesha" (Vakils); "Painted Manuscripts of the Sarasvati Mahal Library" (Govt. of Tamil Nadu); "Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu" (Mapin); "Art and Iconography of Vishnu-Narayana" (Taraporevala); "Folk Toys of South India" and "Varahishwarar Temple", besides research papers and popular articles.

Source:

http://pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/pm-interacts-with-recipients-of-stree-shakti-puraskar-and-nari-shakti-puraskar-2014/