Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2026

In Individual Category – Lieutenant Colonel Seeta Ashok Shelke

» 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.

• 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. Her work reflects practical leadership and the growing role of women in operational DRR.

In Institutional Category – Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA)

» 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.