Padma Shree Chubala Ao was felicitated on March 8 during the International Women’s Day 2024 at The Heritage, Kohima. The felicitation was jointly organised by Department of Social Welfare, Department of Women Resource Development, Nagaland State Commission for Women, Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission and State Hub for Empowerment of Women – Mission Shakti.
Chubalemla/Chubala Ao, who was awarded the fourth highest Civilian Award in the country Padma Shri / Shree Awards for her social work in 1981, was the second child born to Marsosang and Merensangla in Chuchuyimlang in the early 1930s. She received her primary education in the village and moved to Mokokchung town to continue her education. There, she began to take part in social and church activities. During this period she was the youngest member of the Mokokchung Town Volunteer Choir.
She then went to Pine Mount School in Shillong to continue her secondary education. In 1955, she shifted to Auckland House School in Shimla from where she completed her Senior Cambridge. Though, she was keen to pursue higher education her father felt that, that was not necessary for a girl at that time.
She then worked as a kindergarten teacher in Mokokchung town KG School. Among her students were Alemtemshi Jamir and Asangba Sangtem. Ao is also said to have served as a civilian volunteer for the NNC during this period.
In 1962, she was married to the late P. Shilu Ao who became the first Chief Minister of Nagaland State. Ao became very active in social work during her husband’s tenure as the CM of Nagaland.
Even during her childhood, she had great compassion for the less fortunate members of society and her social and later political activism was driven by a passion for their empowerment and development. She was always ready to put to unconditional use her wide network and good will for the benefit of all who approached her for help.
During the Indo-China War of 1962 the Voluntary Organisation Nagaland, under her leadership, placed in the top rank nationally for knitting woollen garments for jawans on the war front.
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Chubala Ao’s work history:
Kindergarten School teacher, 1960 – 1961, Mokokchung Town KG School
Chairperson of Voluntary Organisation Nagaland during the Indo-China War, 1962
Chairperson of Social Welfare Advisory Board, Nagaland from 1964 – 1966
Indian Delegation Member to the International Women’s Year Conference in Berlin, 1975,
Member of North Eastern Railways Board, 1975 – 1977
Member of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), 1975 – 1978
Member of Central Social Welfare Board, India, 1977 – 1980
Recruitment Board Member of Bank of Baroda, 1982 – 1986
Executive Member Watsü Mungdang, 1983 – 1987
Member of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) 1985 – 1988
Director of Chuchuyimlang Women’s Welfare Society, Nagaland
Chairperson of Khadi & Village Industries Board, Nagaland, 1993 – 1998
Board Member of Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), 1994 – 1998
Founding Patron Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Mokokchung, Nagaland, 1998
President of Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) Central Women’s Wing, 2002 – 2010
Advisor to Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) Central Women’s Wing 2011 – 2014.
Awards won by Ao:
Padmashree Award for Social Work from the President of India, 1981
Government of Nagaland Department of Social Security & Welfare Outstanding Woman Achiever Award, 2001
Watsü Mungdang Silver Jubilee award for holding the office of Executive Member from 1983 – 1987, 2007
Watsü Mungdang Silver Jubilee award for achieving the First Woman Padmashree in 1981, 2007
Other achievements includes:
Set a new record in Auckland House School, Shimla, by becoming Head Girl for 2 consecutive years.
In the 1970s, she procured the services of army bull dozers for the construction of a new church and High School playground for Chuchuyimlang village
Obtained funding from the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) to construct a building for the Chuchuyimlang Women’s Welfare Society in the 1980s
Contested in the State Assembly Election in 1987 from 22 A.C Arkakong Constituency
Contested in the State Assembly Election in 2003 from 26 A.C. Aonglenden Constituency.
These information were provided by Ao’s eldest daughter Ayinla Shilu Ao.
