Bhubaneswar: Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), becoming the 9th person to hold the position. Rahatkar brings a wealth of experience from her extensive career in political and social service, with a strong focus on women’s rights and empowerment.
Rahatkar’s leadership track record includes serving as Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women from 2016 to 2021, where she launched several impactful initiatives. Among her most notable programs were “Sakshama,” which provided support to acid attack survivors, “Prajwala,” aimed at connecting self-help groups to central government schemes, and “Suhita,” a 24×7 helpline service for women. She also worked on legal reforms, addressing critical issues like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), anti-triple talaq, and human trafficking. Additionally, she introduced digital literacy initiatives and published a journal titled Saad, dedicated to raising awareness on women’s issues.
Before her tenure with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, Rahatkar served as Mayor of Chatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) from 2007 to 2010, during which she initiated key infrastructure and healthcare development projects in the city.
Rahatkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics and a master’s degree in History from the University of Pune. She has authored several books, including Vidhilikhit, focused on women’s legal issues, and Aurangabad: Leading to Wide Roads. Her contributions have earned her numerous accolades, such as the National Law Award and the Savitribai Phule Award from a national literary council.
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