13/11/2026
Smt. Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, was conferred the prestigious Honorary D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) by the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in the presence of distinguished national and international dignitaries.
In her address, she described the recognition as a renewed commitment to public service and emphasised the responsibility of institutions to bridge the gap between rights guaranteed by law and rights realised in the lives of citizens.
Drawing upon her journey from grassroots governance to leading women’s commissions, she highlighted that justice must be more than an ideal upheld by institutions; it must become a reality experienced by every individual.
She further underscored that women’s empowerment must translate into tangible outcomes in terms of safety, education, economic independence and leadership, in keeping with the vision of women-led development.
Vijaya Rahatkar