The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), in the Institutional Category, and Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke, in the individual Category, have been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2026 for their excellent work in Disaster Management.

The Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has instituted an annual award known as the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management. The award is announced every year on the 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Under the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, the country has significantly improved its disaster management practices, preparedness, mitigation and response mechanisms resulting in significant reduction in mortalities during natural disasters.

For the award of year 2026, nominations were solicited from 1st May, 2025 onwards. The awards for the year 2026 was given wide publicity through print, electronic and social media. In response, 271 nominations were received from institutions and individuals.

A summary of the outstanding work of the winners of 2026 Award in the field of disaster management is as follows:

Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke – Individual Category

Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke, Indian Army, led large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in Wayanad, Kerala, during the 2024 floods and landslides. She coordinated with civil authorities and local leaders to ensure rapid evacuation, relief distribution, and restoration of essential services. Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke directed multiple high-risk rescue missions under adverse weather conditions, saving hundreds of civilians. She supervised the swift construction of a 190-foot Bailey Bridge at Chooralmala, restoring vital connectivity to remote villages, and implemented innovative engineering solutions such as using a Komatsu PC210 excavator as a counterweight and building an improvised footbridge within four hours at night.

By mobilizing 150 tons of equipment, Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke led operations that benefited thousands through timely relief and recovery efforts. She also trained over 2,300 personnel in disaster response and humanitarian operations. She brings disaster risk reduction (DRR) into action through her engineering service. Using Corps of Engineers skills, she enabled quick construction of bridges, access routes, and shelters in remote disaster-hit areas, supporting relief and recovery. Her work reflects practical leadership and the growing role of women in operational DRR.

Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) – Institutional Category

The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) was established in 2005. SSDMA has significantly strengthened disaster preparedness and response in Sikkim by deploying 1,185 trained Aapda Mitras as Disaster Management officials in three tiers – Disaster Management Assistants at village level, Disaster Management Supervisors at block headquarters, and Disaster Management Coordinators at district headquarters. Disaster Management Assistants are posted in all Gram Panchayats. It has led to participatory planning, capacity-building initiatives, and Panchayat-level committees which have enhanced resilience to disasters and climate risks across all six districts.

During critical events such as the 2016 Mantam landslide and the 2023 Teesta floods, SSDMA’s real-time coordination and trained first responders enabled the rescue of 2,563 people and reduced loss of life and damage. SSDMA has institutionalized a proactive, community-centred disaster risk reduction approach through Aapda Mitra, with a strong focus on early warning, preparedness, and local capacity building. Creating a sustainable, scalable, and replicable model of community-centered disaster resilience, particularly relevant for other Himalayan and North Eastern states.

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RK/RR/PR/PS