Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 21 Mar: Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS) secretary-general Kani Nada Maling on Saturday received the ‘Indian Woman Talent Award 2022’ virtually from Ludhiana (Punjab)-based Indian Woman Award.
The award recognises women from all walks of life who are performing extraordinary works in their respective fields.
Speaking over the phone, Maling, who is a lawyer by profession and worked as a nurse at the Guwahati Neurological Research Centre for three years, expressed happiness over receiving the award.
She said that, at first she was sceptical about the award “as these days many awards are just given that way,” but later on she searched on the internet and learned about the award and its founder Harpreet Kaur.
“There are many other women in the organisation who are working at the grassroots level and behind the curtains. More such awards should be given to them, as well, in order to encourage them further,” Maling said.
“In social work, we don’t work for any recognition, but there are many who work temporarily. This should not be the case,” she said, adding that, though social work should not be done on conditions, such recognition inspires people to do more.
Maling said the government should ensure that, “in the near future, the award should not go based on recommendation or through any channel but a committee should be provided, so that they can identify it, wherein selfless volunteers get the due recognition.”
There is no social security for the women in the state till date, and the mindset of the society needs to be changed extensively, she said.
Referring to the resolution adopted by the Tagin Cultural Society to exclude anyone who practices polygamy from the posts of president and secretary-general, she said “similar practice should be implemented in the bye-laws of other societies, as well.”
Urging women to not misuse their rights and play the victim card, she said that the society should be transformed. “With the changing times, there should be equality in financial independence. It is not only the role of a woman; even a husband should have the liberty to look after the children without being financially independent while the woman goes out for work,” she said.
Maling, who came back to the state in 2009, after practicing for a year at the Guwahati High Court, and served as the legal adviser to the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women for seven years, has also worked as the chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee ICR for three years, and served another three years as a member of the Juvenile Justice Board, ICR.
