Hekani Jakhalu on Thursday created history by becoming the first woman to be elected to the Nagaland Assembly, after 60 years since it attained statehood.

She won the Dimapur-III constituency by defeating Azheto Zhimomi of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) on a Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) ticket.

Nagaland has a poor record of women’s representation in politics, even though women play a very important role in both the economy and in social organizations in the state.

A total of 183 people contested the elections in Nagaland this time and only four of them were women.

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According to reported data, a total of 21 female candidates have contested in eight of the 21 assemblies and by-elections (preceding the current Assembly election) held in Nagaland since the formation of the state. The state has had only two women MPs to date.

The 47-year-old has a degree in law from the University of San Francisco, where she went after completing her graduation from Delhi University.

Hekani Jakhalu founded ‘YouthNet’ and the ‘Women’s Initiative for Social Entrepreneurship (WISE)’. She continues to work towards empowering youth and women in Nagaland and beyond.

Jakhalu has received numerous awards, including the Nari Shakti Puraskar (Highest Civilian Award for Women in India) in 2020 for her work in social entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment.

Delhi University alumnus, lawyer, social entrepreneur, and activist defeated her rival Azheto Zhimomi of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by 1,536 votes.

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