Speaking on the occasion, Chand, who hails from Mumbai, said: “The award represents the spirit of Neerja Bhanot’s determination in the face of overwhelming circumstances. I urge women to be fearless and not be intimidated by problems in life.”

Chand, 51, was married at the age of 15, and was later shattered to find that her husband was a habitual infidel. “He refused to provide for me and our two children. Since I did not want to return to my parent’s house, I decided to take charge of the situation,” she said. She then decided to become self-reliant.

She said: “I completed my Master’s degree in English Literature. It was the challenge that I took head-on with life, which kept me going.” Since then, the SNDT Women’s University Rural Development Centre in Mumbai, has been a part of her life. She now works for Kalyani, a rural women’s co-operative in Kulak village near Udwada in Gujarat, where she coordinates with workers, arranges for non-formal education and training programmes and explores employment opportunities. She is also actively involved in women’s struggle for livelihood, particularly tribal women.

Trust organises painting competition