Silverine Swer, Meghalaya's first Padma Shri Awardee died

Silverine Swer, the first Padma Shri awardee of Meghalaya died on 1 February 2014 at her residence at Riatsamthiah. She was of 103 years in age. She received the Padma Shri award in 1990 from the then President of India, R. Venkararaman. She was also the oldest voter from Meghalaya.

About Silverine Swer
• She saw four wars namely the two world wars, Sino-India War and India’s involvement in the Liberation War of Bangladesh
• She was born on 12 November 1910
• In 1932, she completed her degree from the Scottish Church College in then Calcutta
• In 1944 during World War II, she joined as the assistant controller of rationing under the Assam government. She served that till 1949
• Affectionately she was called as Kong Sil
• She was awarded with the medal of Kaisar-i-Hind by the government for her efficiency and integrity, when she handled the rationing system and for service to the Guides movement in Assam
• She was a member of the Good Will Movement of the Moral Rearmament (MRA)
• She served as the Chairperson of the State Social Welfare Advisory Board
• Chairperson of the International Year for Women