New Delhi, March 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday interacted with 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' awardees. This year, President Ram Nath Kovind gave Nari Shakti Puraskar to 15 women in Rashtrapati Bhavan on occasion of International Women's Day 2020. The award is given annually to individuals, groups or institutions for their exceptional work towards women empowerment. Nari Shakti Puraskar 2020: From Mann Kaur to Arfa Jan And Bina Devi, Full List of Females Who Received The Honour on International Women's Day.

"When you started your work, you must have done it as a mission or to do something valuable in life or would have just gone with the flow. It must have not been for reward but today you have become an inspiration for others," the Prime Minister told the recipients. International Women's Day 2020: 104-Year Old Woman Man Kaur to Be Awarded 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' by Ram Nath Kovind for Achievements in Athletics.

PM Modi Interacting with 'Nari Shakti Puraskar' Awardees:

The awardees are 103-year-old athlete Mann Kaur, Farmers Bina Devi and Padala Bhudevi, Indian Air Force’s first women fighter pilots Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi, Environmentalist Chami Murmu, Artisan Arifa Jaan, Automotive research professional Rashmi Urdhwardeshe, Entrepreneur Nilza Wangmo, Twin Mountaineers Tashi and Nungshi Malik, Lady Mason Kalavati Devi, classical vocalist Kaushiki Chakroborty and 98-year-old Karthyayini Amma who topped literacy exam in 2018. Another awardee 105-year-old Bhageerathi Amma could not attend the function to receive the award.

Before the award ceremony, a special screening of "Swachh Bharat - India's Sanitation Story" was held at RBCC. This short film showcases the massive behaviour change that occurred across rural India under the Swachh Bharat Mission and the role that women played in leading over 55 crore people to shun the age-old practice of open defecation.

(With PTI Inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2020 05:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).