The Sikkim government has appointed 11 women from self-help groups (SHGs) as chairpersons of various state departments and one as officer on special duty (OSD), making it the first state in India to formally induct SHG women into top administrative roles.
The initiative, led by chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), is being widely hailed as a pioneering experiment that redefines the role of women in governance, not merely as welfare recipients but as decision-makers shaping public policy, said an observer.
“This is a historic achievement,” said Yougain Tamang, press secretary to Tamang. “The chief minister had promised such institutional recognition during the SHG Bharosa Sammelan held in March 2024 in Jorethang. This step delivers on that promise and sends a powerful message that women at the grassroots are central to governance, not peripheral.”
Each of the 12 appointees has been deeply involved in the SHG movement, working on issues ranging from livelihoods to social development within their communities. Their new roles span crucial departments, including horticulture, agriculture, public health engineering, fisheries, industries, and more.
According to Rewaj Chettri, OSD to the CM, these appointments were not top-down nominations but were made through democratic processes within SHG networks. “With more than 5,500 SHGs and nearly 55,000 women members across Sikkim, this move is a paradigm shift in how governments perceive and engage with community leadership,” he said.
Sikkim has consistently set national benchmarks in empowering women in governance. The state currently has women serving as deputy speaker, deputy mayor of Gangtok, and numerous heads of urban and rural bodies. Over 20 women have also been appointed as departmental secretaries under the current administration.
“Yet, this step of elevating women from SHGs to lead state departments may be the most transformative chapter so far,” added Rewaj Chettri.
The newly appointed chairpersons and their respective departments are:
- Ongkit Lepcha (horticulture)
- Lilly Rai (agriculture)
- Chumila Bhutia (public health engineering)
- Nim Chiki Sherpa (commerce and industries)
- Anuradha Gurung (fisheries)
- Bidya Biswakarma (cooperation)
- Khus Maya Tamang (water resources)
- Kala Pradhan (food processing industries)
- Doma Lepcha (animal husbandry and veterinary services)
- Shanti Limboo (Sikkim Consumer Cooperative Society)
- Mingma Lhasa Sherpa (capacity building, skill development, youth empowerment and self-reliance)
- Indra Kala Chettri (officer on special duty, panchayati raj department)