In a significant development, the Central Government has appointed Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar as the new Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), effective immediately.

The announcement, made on Saturday through a notification from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, marks Rahatkar’s elevation to the current role as the ninth Chairperson of the statutory body, which was established in 1992 to safeguard and promote the rights of women across the nation.

Rahatkar, a prominent leader hailing from Aurangabad, Maharashtra, has previously served as the Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women and has held various key positions within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including National Secretary and Co-Incharge of the party’s Rajasthan unit, as well as BJP Mahila Morcha Chief.

Her appointment has been made under Section 3 of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, and will be for a period of three years or until she reaches the age of 65, whichever comes earlier. The same notification also confirmed the appointment of Dr. Archana Majumdar as a member of the NCW, also for a tenure of three years.

Armed with a bachelor’s degree in Physics and a master’s degree in History from the University of Pune, the new NCW chairperson has authored several books, including Vidhilikhit (focused on women’s legal issues) and Aurangabad: Leading to Wide Roads. Her dedication to women’s rights and issues has earned her numerous accolades, including the National Law Award and the Savitribai Phule Award from a national literary council.

As the former Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, Rahatkar was instrumental in leading several key initiatives. These included “Sakshama,” a program to support acid attack survivors, and “Prajwala,” which aimed to link self-help groups to central government schemes. She also launched “Suhita,” a 24×7 helpline service for women.

Rahatkar’s tenure was marked by her active involvement in legal reforms, particularly focusing on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the establishment of anti-triple talaq cells, and the creation of anti-human trafficking units. She also introduced digital literacy programs for women and launched a publication named Saad, which was dedicated to addressing women’s issues and challenges.