Meenakshi Vijayakumar
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Meenakshi Vijaykumar is the first Indian Woman fire officer. At Present she is working as the Joint Director, State Training Center, Tambaram, Chennai. She has received The President's Medal for Gallantry in 2013 for saving two lives. She has also received The President's Medal for Meritorious Service in 2019. She is the first Indian Fire Officer to have Won medals in the World Firefighter's Games and World Police and Fire Games held in South Korea, Australia, USA and also Indian Fire Service Games held in Nagpur.[1]
Education[]
She did her schooling in Bharath Senior Secondary School, Chennai.[2] She completed her under graduation and post graduation in English Literature from Ethiraj College, Chennai. She completed her PG diploma in Industrial Relation and Personnel Management, from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi in 1991. She completed her Degree of Bachelor of Education from Annamalai University in 1994. She has also completed Advanced Diploma courses in National Fire Service College. She was awarded certificate of "Graduate Member" by Institute of Fire Engineers, India in 2008 and was awarded IFE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Science and Fire Safety (HL) by Institute of Fire Engineers, Marton on Marsh, United Kingdom in 2014. She was also awarded NEBOSH International General Certificate in occupational Health and safety by National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, England in 2014.[citation needed], Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2017.
Career[]
Meenakshi Vijayakumar started her career as assistant professor in English at Chellamal College, Chennai in 1990. She worked as a lecturer in Communication Technique at Father Agnel Institute of Management, New Delhi. She cleared Group 1 service exam in 1998, but had to wait until 2003, before it was decided that women officers could be included in fire service.
She worked as the Divisional Fire Officer of north Chennai for four and a half years and suburban Chennai for one and a half years.[3][4] She has attended more than 400 fire and rescue calls.[5][6][7][8] She took part in the rescue operations in the Tsunami disaster.[9] She was also responsible for organizing fire safety programs in her division.[10] She has trained more than 30 batches of fire officers from all over India.[11]
In 2013 she was awarded the President's Fire Service Medal for Gallantry.[12] She gives talks encouraging young Indian women to pursue careers.[13]
Personal details[]
She is the daughter of late Mr P.K. Padhmanathan, former Joint Registrar, Co-operative society and Dr. V.S. Krishnakumari, former director, Children's Hospital, Egmore,[14] and the eldest granddaughter of Kakkanji.
Honours and awards[]
| Year | Name of award or honour | Awarding Organisation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Kanchi Shankaracharya Medal (best out going student) | Ethiraj college | |
| 13.03.2005 | Probas Club Award (First women fire officer) | Probas Club of Chennai | |
| 19.12.2005 | Rotract Club Award | Rotract Club of Vepery | |
| 2005/2006 | Rotary Award for vocational excellence | Rotary Club of Chennai | |
| 2012 | Vijay TV Award | Vijay TV[15][16] | |
| 08.03.2010 | Ajanta Fine Arts Award | Ajanta Fine Arts | |
| 08.03.2013 | Madras university Award | Madras university | |
| 23.07.2003 | Indian Express Award | Indian Express | |
| 04.09.2004 | Dinamalar award | Dinamalar | |
| 2010 | Gold Medal, Woman's Grand master B Shot put | World 11th firefighters games Daegu Korea | |
| 2013 | Mirchi Pudumai Penn Award | Radio Mirchi | |
| 2013 | President's Gallantry Award | Government of India[17][18] | |
| 2013 | Excellence in Public Service | Just for woman magazine | |
| 07.03.2015 | Woman Achiever award | Vels University, Chennai | |
| 2015 | Appreciation Certificate for Meritorious Service during retrieval of Jarghand Girl from Sewage | The District Collector, Vellore | |
| 2015 | Best Woman in the field of Fire Service | Vels University | |
| 26.01.2016 | Appreciation Certificate for dedicated and selfless service rendered while carrying out the Rescue Relief Operations during CHENNAI FLOODS 2015 | The District Collector, Kanchipuram | |
| 08.03.2016 | Eminent Woman Achiever Award | Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology, Chennai | |
| 26.03.2016 | Woman Achievers Awards | Raindropss, Chennai | |
| 2017 | Won Two Bronze Medals for India in Badminton | World police and fire games, Los Angeles | |
| Feb 2018 | First Woman Fire Officer to have Won Five Medals in National Sports Meet - three gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal | National Fire Games, Nagpur | |
| 2017 | Tamil Nadu Government Chief Minister's Anna Medal for Dedicated service in Fire and Rescue Services | Tamil Nadu Government | |
| 2018 | Meritorious Service Award | Fire & Security Association of India | |
| 2018 | "Sree Ratna" Award for dedicated, Innovative, totally involved, service for the community | Exnora International | |
| 2018 | "Yuga Sakthi Puraskar" Award for Meritorious Achievement | The International Association of Lions Clubs | |
| 2019 | SAKTHI AWARD for BRAVERY | PudhiyaThalaimurai News Channel | |
| 2019 | JFW Awards for Dedication of Public Services | VBJ JFW Awards | |
| 2019 | Won Five Medals for Tamil Nadu (Appreciation from Hon'ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister) | Indian Fire Service Games, Nagpur | |
| 2021 | President's Medal for Meritorious Service for unblemished service | Government of India | |
| MARCH 8th 2021 | Veera Thirumagal Award Received on WOMAN's DAY 2021 | AIMED - Aachi Masala Proparator Tmt.THELMA |
At her rescue work
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at University of Madras at Work 1
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at University of Madras at Work
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at University of Madras
Meenakshi Vijayakumar awarded by S Janaki
Meenakshi Vijayakumar Family
Meenakshi Vijayakumar with APJ Abdul Kalam
References[]
- ^ "Rediff E Magazine". First Woman Fire Officer "Meenakshi Vijayakumar".
- ^ Founder's Day, Alumni meet organised at Bharath school - The Hindu
- ^ "Major fire in Manali polymer unit". The Hindu.
- ^ 'Step Out of Comfort Zone'. New Indian Express. By Priyadarshini S - Chennai 8 March 2014
- ^ "Fire in leather goods firm" - The Hindu
- ^ "Fire in Perambur". The Hindu.
- ^ "Fire at Kilpauk Garden department store complex" - The Hindu
- ^ "Fire destroys warehouse in Manali". The Hindu.
- ^ "major rescues by TNFRS".
- ^ "Firecracker shops told to strictly adhere to safety norms". The Hindu.
- ^ Teaching students to tackle disasters.
- ^ "Woman fire officer to get President's Gallantry Medal". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "Female Students Urged to Crush Hurdles and Achieve Success". by India Express News Service - Chennai Published: 7 March 2014
- ^ Former Minister Kakkan's grand daughter Meenakshi Vijayakumar achieves in Fire Service. Successfully Stories of Wo... Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Woman's Day Special". The Hindu.
- ^ EVENTFAQS - Star Vijay establishes a new IP in Woman Achievers Awards
- ^ "Woman fire officer to get President's Gallantry Medal". The New Indian Express.
- ^ Staff Reporter. "Padma Shri for city doctor". The Hindu.
- Staff Reporter. "Fire breaks out at a slum in Jafferkhanpet". The Hindu.
- Press Trust of India (30 July 2012). "Fire at Ambedkar Nagar in Chennai". NDTV.com.
- 1 dies, 3 rescued as pit caves in at Pallikaranai | Deccan Chronicle
- "Meenakshi Vijayakumar".
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meenakshi Vijayakumar. |
- Women in firefighting
- Indian firefighters
- Women from Tamil Nadu
- People from Madurai district
- 1964 births
- Living people