Ex-cabinet secy Alok Rawat appointed as 1st male member of NCW

Former Cabinet Secretary Alok Rawat has been appointed as the first male member of the National Commission for Women, filling the fourth seat in the five-member body.

A 1977 batch Sikkim cadre IAS officer, Rawat has served as Director/Joint Secretary in Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Secretary (UPSC); Secretary (Coordination and Public Grievances) in the Cabinet Secretariat and Secretary in Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Not deterred to voice his opinions in a female-dominated body, he said, "I feel that the presence of a male would provide a better understanding to the women issues." Rawat said that working with the Commission will be a new experience and his first focus will be to learn the job. "I will learn the job first as issues pertaining to women are a bit different from development agenda. So I will observe and learn first," he said.

Two other members -- Sushma Sahu and Rekha Sharma -- were appointed to the Commission in August.