KUMKUM ROY CHOUDHURY, LUCKNOW

SOCIAL WORK

Kumkum Roy Choudhury was born at Samastipur in Bihar and brought up at Gorakhpur. She moved to Kanpur after her marriage where after serving in Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment for 21 years as senior scientific officer, she decided to do something on her own. She set up ‘Tanpriya Creations’, a boutique-cum-fashion designing enterprise in Lucknow. Impressed by her entrepreneurship, her elder brother and chief guardian of Sahara India Pariwar, Subrato Roy Sahara, offered her to join Sahara group as consultant. She went on to become one of the directors.

She is fond of painting, music and gardening. She has a separate greenhouse for bonsais only. She is an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha and her collection of over 2,450 idols and images is listed in Limca Book of World Records. Besides ‘Tanpriya Creations’, she also opened ‘Designer’s Club’ through which she takes up charitable works. ‘Designer’s Club’ organises fashion shows, proceeds of which go for the welfare of deprived sections. From fiveyear-old children to 80-yearold senior citizens and from physically-challenged people to eunuchs have appeared as ramp models in fashion shows. She organised a show at Gurgaon with the Indian Tricolour as its theme.

She has also written a book ‘Mujhe Yaad Hai… Dadabhai aur Hamara Pariwar’, a pictorial biography of Subrata Roy Sahara.

Chhabi Shanti Dham, an old age home opened by her in Lucknow, is an example of her concern for the people. It has a child home too for orphans. She helps a large number of children living at various other orphanages. Awards and honours conferred upon her include Mahila Udyami and Social Worker by Rajya Mahila Aayog, Women of Substance by Academy of Arts & Culture, Nari Ratna Award by Lions Club, Paradigm for Women by NIFT & Moksh Event, Sharad Samman by Shakti Eco-friendly Pariwar, Angikar Samman, Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman, and Asia Women Leadership Award, Singapore. She has also been honoured by National Sports Council, Bangladesh.

Nominated by Babita Singh