Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards: 2016
Year: II
The Tinka Tinka Foundation aims at initiating awards to honour the exemplary contributions of female inmates for the first time in the history of India through Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards. These awards are announced and celebrated on International Women’s Day (March 8) annually to recognize women striving to make a difference in their surroundings by utilizing their unique capacities, thereby pursuing the goal of reformation. The recommendations for these awards are provided by the jail officials. ‘Bandini Awards’ is intended to mark the beginning of dedicated women empowerment within the prison setting. The founder, Dr. Vartika Nanda, has envisaged these awards to specifically draw attention towards human rights, encourage skill development in jails and promote the reformation and rehabilitation of female inmates.
YEAR I: 2016
Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards 2016 were awarded by Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister, Women and Child Development. The 26 awardees included women aged between 25 and 83. This year, the selection process went on for more than a month and the nominations were received from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Chandigarh.
Awardees:
Sundara, an inmate serving a life sentence (for killing 12 people) in Mahila Jail, Lucknow, was selected for transforming the jail, making it greener through extensive organic farming. Within 18 months of her stay in prison, she produced more than two dozen varieties of chemical-free farm-fresh vegetables, which are now supplied to neighbouring jails. Previously lacking infrastructural facilities, the jail has come a long way because of her singlehanded efforts. She has made many lawns and gardens within the jail, giving it a cleaner and healthier look. She is also skilled in the Chikankari embroidery technique.
Ramilaben Panchal, 36, imprisoned in Gujarat, was selected for her services assisting doctors and pharmacists in performing their duties in the role of a nurse.
Dr. Nupur Talwar was selected for her contribution providing services to other inmates as a dentist in Dasna Jail.
Jetun, 65, lodged in Bhilwara District Jail, Rajasthan, was selected for her efforts in improving adult literacy within jails. An illiterate at the time of her entry in 2014, she managed to pass the Basic Buniyaadi Saksharta Pariksha from the National Institute of Open Schooling, Noida and ardently promotes adult education within prisons.
Roshan Kasambhai Bhawar, 51, from Gujarat was selected due to her special contributions in the field of adult education.
Sakina Begum Mehmood, 83, was the oldest inmate on the list, serving life imprisonment in Lucknow Jail. After having picked up the art of crochet in prison, she has been teaching the skill to her fellow inmates. Her products are a major hit at the Annual Lucknow Mahotsav.
Neelam Ramchandra Gupta, 25, youngest in the list of awardees, has spent more than 11 years in Lucknow Jail, where she was initially lodged as a juvenile. She was recognized for her computer skills and for her efforts towards organizing cultural programmes within jail.
Archana Das and Varsha Ravi Das, age, from Noida Jail, Uttar Pradesh, were nominated for their participation in looking after inmates suffering from illnesses while supporting the jail staff in providing quality health services.
Malati Mondaland Laxmi Chintalpuri, age, from Alipore Jail, West Bengal, were chosen not only for their work as medical attendants, but also for their involvement in ensuring the efficient execution of various administrative duties.
Rekha,and Sushma Bansalfrom Chandigarh Jail were selected for their noble work in promoting literacy in jail.
Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards। Sundara। Lucknow Jail। 2016 । Tinka Tinka Foundation
Press Coverage: Tinka Bandini Awards: 2016
Awarding inmates and forcing them to be creative and visionary is what I think Tinka tinka movement has done. They are giving shape to the life of prisoners who have left with no hope at all. This is inspirational and admiring. Best of luck to the team and Vartika ma’am. You are wondering when things will be good for you, take heart with great hope and make things good for you. Just like this inmate of Lucknow Jail who has grown vegetables in the barren land for the inmates and for the neighboring jails too. She believes in herself and makes things possible. If she can transform herself why won’t others? All they need is hope and a chance to change them. These all-women deserves an award for her work and is indeed a great choice for Tinka Tinka Bandini Award. #Vartikananda #prisoners #change #tinkatinka
Awards for inmates is a unique idea in itself. Read about some of the awardees and saw the categories too. This is a very promising idea in itself. Hope this will go a long way.
Tinka Tinka has come up with initiatives that seek to work on prison reforms, the three books it has come up with are about the lives of prison inmates by prison inmates and each of the books is unique and different from the other. We as a society want to witness change in the prison inmates as soon as they are released and encouraging their creativity and talents can form a firm ground for the same positive change we wish to see. #vartikananda #tinkatinka #prison #jail
Tinka Tinka Prison reforms movement has always found novel ways of reforming the lives of jail inmates. Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards are a prime example of this – a first of it’s kind awards ceremony dedicated solely to the recognition of female inmates of jails. Women face a lot of hardships in jails and yet, through these hardships some women strive to change the course of their lives and contribute to the jails and society. Awarding such inmates sets an example for all the inmates and inspires them to have hope,and to set the course of their lives in a new direction. These awards also give a sense of accomplishment to the inmates who have done exemplary work, as opposed to being condemned by the society. There is some good in everything bad and some bad in everything good, and Tinka Tinka Bandini Awards’ attempt to recognize and encourage the good in the inmates of jail is truly a novel and inspiring idea.
#TTBA #tinkatinka #vartikananda #Awards #prisonreforms #jails #jailsofindia #TTIA #jailawards
Tinka Tinka became a bridge between the society. This initiative address things beyonds all the odd and unique in it’s kind. Dr. Vartika Nanda is working very quietly in bringing prisons together. Putting forward the idea of encouraging inmates towards education, culture, art, literature and media.
Tinka Tinka awards encouraged them to work harder and follow their passion. They are highly motivated by Dr. Vartika Nanda ma’am efforts.
Seeing the encouragement of such prisoners gives us inspiration and we should inspire more such captives to take certain steps in prison.
#jailmovement #vartikananda #prison #jail #tinkatinka #tinkatinkaawards
The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more. Inmates exhibiting profound creative talents and administrators doing extraordinary work in prisons have been awarded with Special Awards by Tinka Tinka. These are national awards and the first of its kind recognising the good work done by both jail staff and inmates.
I believe nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm and appreciation and this commendable initiative taken by Dr.VartikaNanda to encourage inmates to exhibit their creativity, highlighting the issues of jail reforms and human rights, signifies her great contribution to the reformation of Jails in India. Her efforts to recognise and appreciate these prisoners are admirable and praiseworthy.
#Tinkatinka #Vartikananda #Prison #Jails
Dr. Vartika Nanda is working tremendously hard to spread the movement for prison reforms in India. Tinka Tinka India award will give incentive to inmates to develop their talents and creativity. It is also very good to know that organizations are recognizing the hard work of prison staff and administrations. It will motivate them to do better. She has written three books Tinka Tinka Tihar, Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh, Tinka Dasna, and gives a true representation of life inside prisons. In her books, instead of sensationalizing, Dr. Vartika Nanda sensitizes readers to the harsh realities of prisons. She is shattering the dehumanized and barbaric image of those incarcerated. Through her work, she is showing that inmates are humans with talent, aspirations, and a will to improve themselves. Her newest initiative is of opening a prison radio in Haryana, she has earlier done so in Agra. Workshops were held to train inmates and to develop their talents and creativity. The work of Dr. Vartika Nanda, the founder of the movement of prison reforms in India, is a testament to the idea that rehabilitation and not punishment is the answer. The radio will also keep the inmates informed about their rights and will give them respite in these challenging times of the pandemic when the inmates cannot have any visitors.#tinkatinka #tinkamodelofprisonreforms#awards #vartikananda #prisonreforms