‘Miracle from Chandigarh’ Mann Kaur, ‘Mushroom Mahila’ Bina Devi were among recipients of Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019. Kaur became world’s fastest centenarian in 2016
New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with recipients of Nari Shakti Awards at his official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg here.
It was a two-way conversation. In an unusual move, 103-year-old Mann Kaur blessed the Prime Minister. Kaur who is known as ‘Miracle from Chandigarh’, started her athletic career at the age of 93. She has set a record by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian at the American Masters Game, 2016.
Miracle from Chandigarh
Mann Kaur says age is no bar to realize one’s dreams and the 103-year-old feisty lady has proved it in the last decade.
One of the ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019’ winners who were presented the award by President Ram Nath Kovind on International Women’s Day on Sunday amid huge applause by those present, Mann Kaur began her athletics career at the age of 93.
And in the last 10 years, she has literally run away with accolades across the globe — bagging over 20 medals in track and field events. She believes participating in competitions gives her a lot of happiness. The same goes for her countless admirers too who watch her run.
Known as the ‘Miracle from Chandigarh’, has also been associated with the ‘Fit India’ movement, a tweet from the President said.
Donning a blue blazer with an official insignia over her Punjabi suit and an off-white headscarf, short-statured Kaur marched up to the President when her name was called for receiving the award. After received the award with folded hands, she ambled off the dais while swinging her arms.
Hailing from Patiala city in Punjab, the sprinter, who endorses Central government’s ‘Fit India’ Movement for remaining fit and healthy, was accompanying her 81-year-old son Gurdev Singh, also a veteran athlete.
Kaur, who took to running at the age of 93, said she believes “age is no bar to realize one’s dreams”.
Born on March 1, 1916, she won her first medal in 2007 at the Chandigarh Masters Athletics meet, in which she participated just for formality after seeing her eldest son Gurdev taking part in a race in Patiala. And from then on, she has only added to her list of achievements.
She won four golds (Track and Field) at the World Masters Athletics Championship in Poland. She has set a record by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian at the American Masters Game, 2016. Kaur has won more than 20 medals in World Masters Games and America Masters Game. She is the oldest person to walk to the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower in 2017.
Despite suffering from osteoporosis, she has displayed how the determination is key to success.
Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur congratulated her by tweeting: “I salute the indomitable spirit of this 103-year-old ‘young’ lady, who shall inspire millions across the world.”
Mushroom Mahila of Munger
Bina Devi, who popularized Mushroom cultivation in Bihar’s Munger district, on Sunday suggested women specifically in rural areas across the country to go out from their homes and work to feel good.
Popular as as ‘Mushroom Mahila’, Bina Devi, expressed her experience while handling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter handle as a seventh woman achiever. The 43-year-old mushroom grower presented an example before the country through PM’s tweet how women from her native village in Bihar’s Munger have become an example.
“Today, the women of Munger are presenting an example to the whole country. From farming at home to selling the produce in the haat, the whole task is carried on her shoulders. That’s why I will say the same to all the women of the country – get out, work yourself and then see how good it feels,” Bina Devi tweeted in Hindi.
In a series of tweets, Bina Devi declared that women are not far behind in any field today and ascertain if the woman power of the country is determined, she can start her journey from her home.
Referring to mushroom cultivation, she said: “Due to this farming, I got respect. I became a sarpanch. It is a pleasure for me that many women like myself are getting the opportunity to train.
“Where there is a will, there is a way. Everything can be achieved with a will. My real identity began with cultivating one kilo of mushrooms under the bed. But this farming not only made me self-sufficient but gave a new life by increasing my confidence.”
A former ‘Sarpanch’ (village head) of Dhauri Panchayat in Tetiabamber block for five years, Bina Devi, has trained farmers on mushroom and organic farming, vermin-compost production and organic insecticide preparation at home over the years. She is among the 16 women who were on Sunday conferred Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019 by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Bina Devi generated self-employment among rural women and also engaged in dairy farming and goat farming. She has popularized mushroom production in five blocks and 105 neighbouring villages in Munger district, impacting 1,500 women by making them adopt mushroom farming.
She has been involved in spreading digital literacy and was awarded for training 700 women on how to use mobile by Tata Trusts. She has trained 2,500 farmers on SRI Method crop farming and supported the formulation of a self-help group.
Bina Devi became the seventh woman achiever after Chennai-based social worker Sneha Mohandoss, bomb blast survivor Malvika Iyer, Kashmiri Numdha handicraft revival worker Arifa Jan, urban water conservationist Kalpana Ramesh, Maharashtra Banjara handicraft promotor Vijaya Pawar, and lady mason Kalaveti Devi to handle the Prime Minister’s account on Women’s Day.
