Meenakshi Vijayakumar

Meenakshi Vijayakumar
Born 1965
Thumbaipatti, Melur, Madras, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater
Occupation Indian Fire Department
Spouse(s) Balakrishna Vijayakumar
Children Kshitij Vijayakumar
Awards President’s Gallantry Award
2013

Meenakshi Vijayakumar was born in 1965 in Thumbaipatti, Melur, Madras, India. She is the present Deputy Director of North Western Region in Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services. Presently, she is the only woman officer in field operations in India. She is the first woman divisonal fire officer in a metro (Chennai) city in India.[1] She is also the first Indian fire officer to have won medals for India in the World Fire Fighters, held in Korea (2010) and Australia (2012).[2]

Education

Meenakshi Vijayakumar did her schooling in Bharath Senior Secondary School, Chennai.[3] 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.

Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Institute of Fire Engineers
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Parade

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[4][5] She is the first Woman Fire officer of India to have led an all men contingent in Republic Parade in Chennai Marina in 2005.[6] She has attended more than 400 fire and rescue calls.[7][8][9][10] She took part in the rescue operations in the Tsunami disaster.[11] She was also responsible for organizing fire safety programs in her division.[12] She has been a committee member in selecting fire service men and women. She has trained more than 30 batches of fire officers from all over India.[13]

She is the first Indian Fire officer to have won Gold medal in Shot put in the World Fire Fighters Games held in South Korea in 2010. She has also won silver medal in Shot put and Gold medal in Tennis, in the World Fire Fighters Games held in Australia in 2012. The then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, appreciated her achievement.

In 2013 she was awarded the President’s Fire Service Medal for Gallantry.[14] She gives talks encouraging young Indian women to pursue careers.[15]

Meenakshi vijayakumar at work
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Chennai Flood Rescue 1
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Chennai Flood Rescue 2
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Chennai Flood Rescue 3
Meenakshi Vijayakumar at Chennai Flood Rescue

Personal Details

She is the grand daughter of the late minister P. Kakkan and late Mr V.S Subbhiah(I.A.S). She is the daughter of late Mr P.K Padhmanathan,former Joint Registrar, Co-operative society and Dr.V.S Krishnakumari, former Director, childrens' hospital, Egmore.[16]

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 Vepary
2005/2006 Rotary Award for vocational excellence Rotary Club of Chennai
2012 Vijay TV Award Vijay TV[17][18]
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 Shotput World 11th firefighters games Daegu KOREA
2013 Mirchi Pudumai Penn Award Rado Mirchi
2013 PRESIDENT'S GALLANTRY AWARD Government of India[19][20]
07.03.2015 Women Achiever award VELS University, Chennai.
2015 Appreciation Certificate for Meritorious Service during retrivel of Jarghand Girl for 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 to the Flood in Kanchipuram District during North East Monsoon THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR,KANCHIPURAM
08.03.2016 EMINENT WOMEN ACHIEVER AWARD Rajalakshmi Institute of Technology, Chennai
26.03.2016 Women Achievers Awards RAINDROPS , Chennai

References

[21] [22] [23] [24]

  1. ↑ "Meet India's first Fire Officer". Rediff India.
  2. ↑ TN officer wins first gold in world Fire Fighters Games.
  3. ↑ Founder's Day, Alumni meet organised at Bharath school - The Hindu
  4. ↑ Major fire in Manali polymer unit - The Hindu
  5. ↑ 'Step Out of Comfort Zone'. New Indian Express. By Priyadarshini S - CHENNAI 08 March 2014
  6. ↑ Celebrating women of rare grit and courage - The Hindu
  7. ↑ "Fire in leather goods firm" - The Hindu
  8. ↑ Fire in Perambur - The Hindu
  9. ↑ "Fire at Kilpauk Garden department store complex" - The Hindu
  10. ↑ Fire destroys warehouse in Manali - The Hindu
  11. ↑ major rescues by TNFRS
  12. ↑ Firecracker shops told to strictly adhere to safety norms - The Hindu
  13. ↑ Teaching students to tackle disasters.
  14. ↑ Woman fire officer to get President’s Gallantry Medal - The New Indian Express
  15. ↑ "Female Students Urged to Crush Hurdles and Achieve Success". by India Express News Service - CHENNAI Published: 07 March 2014
  16. ↑ Former Minister Kakkan's grand daughter Meenakshi Vijayakumar achieves in Fire Service. Successfully Stories of Wo...
  17. ↑ Woman's Day Special - The Hindu
  18. ↑ EVENTFAQS - Star Vijay establishes a new IP in Woman Achievers Awards
  19. ↑ Woman fire officer to get President’s Gallantry Medal - The New Indian Express
  20. ↑ Padma Shri for city doctor - The Hindu
  21. ↑ Fire breaks out at a slum in Jafferkhanpet - The Hindu
  22. ↑ Fire at Ambedkar Nagar in Chennai - NDTV
  23. ↑ 1 dies, 3 rescued as pit caves in at Pallikaranai | Deccan Chronicle
  24. ↑ Official Website Of Meenakshi Vijayakumar

External links

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