Ex-cabinet secretary Alok Rawat appointed as 1st male member of National Commission for Women

NEW DELHI: 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.