Billiards champ, Karnataka journalist Umadevi to get Nari Shakti award

Umadevi Revanna Nagraj, the winner of 2012 Women's Billiards and Snooker World Championship, and journalist Pushpa Girimaji from Karnataka are among 30 women who are set to receive the Nari Shakti  Puraskar from President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday.

Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Gita Mittal will also receive the prestigious award from the President at an event to be organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark the International Women's Day.

A total of 30 women and nine institutions have been selected for the award, the Woman and Child Development (WCD) Ministry said.

Vanastree, a woman-run seed saving collective in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats in southern India, has been selected for its outstanding work among other institutions.

Typist to billiards champ

Umadevi started her career as a typist in the horticulture department of Karnataka in 1989. She later emerged as a world champion in billiards.

"Her interest initially lay in the game of table tennis which is played by most government staffers. One day, tired of waiting for her turn to play, she wandered off towards the nearby billiards table. Many discouraged her over the years due to her age and humble beginnings, but she never let this affect her," a citation on Umadevi's achievements read.

Her dedication to the game led her to her first national championship in 2002. She went on to participate in a number of world championships in 2003, 2004 and 2011. In 2012, she won the Women's Billiards and Snooker World Championship in the UK.

"From an introvert, reserved typist to the world champion, the metamorphosis has been incredible," the citation said.

Girimaji is considered as one of the best journalists on consumer affairs.

"As a consumer safety advocate, she has been responsible for bringing the consumer movement to media attention in India. She played a pivotal role in bringing about the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. She is a consumer rights columnist in leading dailies for the past 42 years who has been addressing queries on common consumer problems," a citation read.