Nari Shakti Puraskar to Justice Gita Mittal, others

Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Gita Mittal, is among the 39 women who will be conferred with Nari Shakti Puraskar on the occasion of Women's Day on March 8.

The award, which is conferred by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, will be presented by President Ramnath Kovind at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.

The award recognises the efforts made by women and institutions in rendering distinguished services for the cause of women, especially vulnerable and marginalised women.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, which will be given to 39 awardees from the field of science, sports, art, social work, conservation, agriculture, education, agriculture, defence and security.

Reports suggest that Justice Mittal, who is one of the awardees, has declined to accept a cash honorarium that the award carries. She has instead requested that the amount be remitted to the National Trust for Disabilities. Justice Gita Mittal, who took over as acting Chief Justice after the retirement of Justice G Rohini, has introduced many welcome changes in the functioning of the High Court.

Other awardees include Dr Malvika Iyer, a blast survivor, who is a also a well-known disability rights activist.