Archive · 28 Oct 2025
Sunderbans Woman Panchayat Head Wins National Child Care Award
A woman named Jyotsna Halder leads a village in the Sunderbans, a place where many children drown.
She didn't just follow what others told her; she created new ways to keep children safe.
She started a program to teach people how to prevent drowning and opened special safe places called 'Kavach Centres.'
These centers are like daycare where kids can stay safe while their parents work.
Because of her hard work and these safe places, no children have drowned or gotten hurt in the past year.
Her amazing work has been recognized with a national award, and people think her idea should be used in other places too.
Jyotsna Halder, a woman panchayat head from the Sunderbans, received the 'India Child Care Champion Award 2025'.
The award recognizes her efforts in preventing child drowning and establishing community-based safe childcare centers called 'Kavach Centres'.
Under her leadership, Maipith Baikunthapur gram panchayat has seen zero child drowning deaths in the past year due to these initiatives.
Halder's model of childcare and drowning prevention has been lauded by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and WHO India.
She is noted for her independent decision-making, defying stereotypes of female public representatives in India.
- Who
- Jyotsna Halder, woman pradhan of Maipith Baikunthapur gram panchayat in the Sunderbans
- What
- Won the 'India Child Care Champion Award 2025' for her work in preventing child drowning and establishing safe childcare centers.
- When
- Tuesday, on the occasion of the UN-declared International Day of Care and Support
- Where
- New Delhi (award ceremony), Maipith Baikunthapur gram panchayat, Sunderbans (work location)
- Why
- For establishing a community-based drowning prevention program and 'Kavach' (Armour) Centres, resulting in zero child injuries or deaths in the past year.
Traditional Roles
Halder's Leadership
Decision Making Power
Traditional Roles
Many female panchayat pradhans act as a rubber stamp for their husbands in decision-making.
Halder's Leadership
Jyotsna Halder independently made decisions, reversing prevalent stereotypes.
- Award Name
- India Child Care Champion Award 2025
- Recipient
- Jyotsna Halder
- Category
- Public Representative
- Location
- Maipith Baikunthapur gram panchayat, Sunderbans
- Awarding Organization
- FORCES and Mobile Creches
- Key Initiative
- Community-based child drowning prevention programme & Kavach (Armour) Centres
- Supporting Organizations
- CINI, ICMR, The George Institute (TGI), WHO India