When Dr Uma Rajan lost her husband 38 years ago, she starting giving the time she would have spent with him to the community.

Yesterday, the 75-year-old became the first woman to receive the tabla! Community Champion Award, now in its fifth year.

The current vice-chairman of the Siglap South Community Centre helped to create the blue booklet that students still use for their annual health check-ups and also helped build nursing homes with voluntary welfare organisations when she was director of the eldercare department at the Ministry of Health from 1996 to 2000.

"I helped build about nine to 10 during my tenure, and for all religions," said Dr Rajan. "This award is a recognition of women as community service providers."

Dr Rajan won $10,000 from the State Bank of India which she is donating to voluntary welfare organisations Singapore Children's Society and AWWA.

The award was conferred yesterday at the Singapore International Indian Shopping Festival, which will run till Sunday at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. It is organised by Singapore Press Holdings' publications tabla! and Tamil Murasu with events company De Ideaz.

Kok Xing Hui