Kamla Dalal Chowdhary first ever successful PCS Examination woman candidate in 1961 from Joint Punjab (Before 1966) gets awarded by her Alma Mater
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, March 9, 2025:
On it’s Alumni meet in the college on the occasion of 8th March International Women Day celebrations Mrs. Kamla Chowdhary who has been the first ever successful PCS Examination woman candidate from Joint Punjab (Before 1966) studied MA at SCD Govt College Ludhiana in 1961 has been awarded LifeTime Achievement Award by Alumni & College. Sharing Kamala Chowdhry’s inspirational story, Alumni Organising Secretary Brij Bhushan Goyal and Alumni Coordinator from College Prof Geetanjli Pabreja gave a detailed account at the meet.
Born on 15 August 1939, she is the eldest child in the family who received her formative education in schools of Samrala, Ludhiana and Karnal where she completed her High School topping in Matriculation in the then Ambala Division in Joint Punjab. She went on to do her FA from Amritsar and after completing her BA from Government College for Women, Ludhiana in 1959. She did her Masters in English from Government College, Ludhiana in 1961 which has been a reputed college of higher studies. A very intelligent jolly girl, she was always very quick in conception of ideas and an aptitude to know more and more and she prepared for competitions. Kamla Chowdhary topped the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) examination in 1963 and thus became the First Woman Of Joint Punjab to get this honour in her name. Later on, she passed the L.L.B Examination, while in service.
She is a very strong-willed and determined person. When she was just 10 years old, she participated in the 3 weeks long “National Volunteer Corps Training” programme and stood first in military drill and use of 303 rifle. Later, during the PCS training also she stood first in revolver-shooting and horse-riding in her batch then at the Police Training School Phillaur, Punjab.
Her father worked as a senior scientist in PAU. She was moved to the State of Haryana after its formation in 1966 and served in various positions in the district and at Chandigarh. She was promoted to the Indian Administrative Service in 1977 and served as Director Industrial Training, Labour Commissioner, Director Social Welfare and Women and Child Development, Secretary Labour & Employment among other charges. She retired from service in February 1998 and settled in Gurgaon. She is married to Dr. AC Chowdhary who remained a general surgeon and retired as Director Health Services, Haryana and also served as Medical Superintendent of Government Medical College, Sector 32, Chandigarh. She has two children, an elder daughter who is a senior corporate lawyer and a son who is an upright Sr. Civil servant.
Kamla was a well-known honest officer, strong disciplinarian, able administrator, and compassionate. After retirement, she has settled in Gurugram, where she is engaged with social work and helping needy people. Kitchen gardening and growing of beautiful flowers is her main hobby and area of special interest. Wherever government accommodation was allotted to her, she turned that into an abode of lovely flowers and green carpet of lawns.
As she at 86 could not be present herself at Ludhiana due to her husband’s illness due to spoilt dengue, the award was received by Prof. Kamlesh Kalia and O P Verma PCS Retd.) on her behalf joined by all the executives of Alumni Association patronised by S S Bhogal and Padam Shri Onkar Singh Pahwa also alumni of the college.
Today , when this news was shared with her by Goyal, the organising secretary, she became jubilant and recalled the teachers of her time Dr Raj Kumar and Prof Mohan Saroop of SCD Govt college and also Prof Mrs Malhotra and Prof Sheela Madan of girls college. She also remembered Master Gajjan Sing at her Samrala school .She also primarily gives credit to her success to her father who always was votary of girls education and was a hard working scientist at PAU in groundnut research and was appreciated by the then CM Partap Singh Kairon too .
Kamala said the same passion for education and an honest living has been inculcated by her in their own children who are in reputed administrative capacities daughter as a reputed Corporate Manager and son as a top bureaucrat in Punjab. She told us that we must be honest in our duties. She recalled how she handled every department she was given either as a PCS officer or after elevation as an IAS later. She informed me that she still works for the cause of girl education, self-help groups and artisans. She looks forward to always inspiring youngsters particularly girls who are saviours of the families.