• Karthyayani Amma, who made history by becoming the oldest learner under the Kerala State Literacy Mission, has died at her residence in coastal Alappuzha district. She was 101.

• Karthyayani Amma had shot to fame not only for being the oldest student, at the age of 96, under the southern state’s literacy mission, but also for scoring the highest marks in the ‘Aksharalaksham’ test, a fourth standard equivalent examination. The nonagenarian was the oldest among the 43,330 candidates who appeared for the test. 

• She received the Nari Shakti award from former President Ram Nath Kovind on Women’s Day in March 2020. 

• In 2019, she became a Commonwealth of Learning Goodwill Ambassador. 

Nari Shakti Puraskar

• The Nari Shakti Puraskar, which literally means ‘Woman Power Award’, is a national award in recognition of exceptional work for women empowerment conferred by the President every year on March 8 — the International Women’s Day.

• It is an initiative of the ministry of women and child development (WCD)  ministry to acknowledge exceptional contributions made by individuals and institutions, and to celebrate women as game-changers and catalysts of positive change in society.

• The award carries a certificate and a cash amount of Rs 2 lakh per awardee.

How are the awards finalised?

• The awards are open to all individuals and institutions. 

• In case of individual category, the awardee must be at least 25 years of age. If the applicant is an institution, it should have worked in the relevant field for at least five years. 

• Self-nominations and recommendations are also considered. The Selection Committee may also, suo-moto, recommend an individual/institution for the award with sufficient justification.

• A Screening Committee, headed by a joint secretary-level officer of the WCD ministry, will scrutinise and shortlist the nominations received considering the achievements of institutions and individuals.

• The final selection is made by a Selection Committee, chaired by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, on the basis of recommendations of the Screening Committee.

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