In a significant recognition of India’s contributions to global peacekeeping and the growing role of women in uniform, Major Abhilasha Barak of the Indian Army has been conferred the prestigious 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. The honour was presented by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, underscoring her exceptional leadership in advancing gender-responsive peacekeeping during a challenging deployment with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Major Barak, India’s first woman combat helicopter pilot, serves as Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point with the Indian Battalion in UNIFIL. Deployed since June 2025, she has operated in a high-tension environment marked by hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, where seven UN peacekeepers have tragically lost their lives. Despite these risks, she has spearheaded the mission’s most extensive gender-focused initiatives, reaching over 5,000 women and adolescent girls through targeted programmes in education, health, and vocational training.
Her initiatives extend beyond outreach. Major Barak played a pivotal role in gender sensitisation training for fellow peacekeepers and introduced an innovative AI-powered platform enabling confidential reporting of gender-based violence, thereby strengthening access to support services for vulnerable communities. These efforts align closely with the Women, Peace and Security agenda, demonstrating how integrated gender perspectives can enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of peacekeeping operations in conflict zones.
This achievement marks Major Barak as the first Indian woman peacekeeper to receive the award and the third Indian officer overall. It highlights India’s longstanding legacy as one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, with thousands of troops deployed worldwide, often in the most demanding theatres. Indian forces are widely respected not only for their military professionalism but also for their commitment to human rights and community engagement in war-affected regions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt congratulations, noting that the award recognises both Major Barak’s exemplary service and India’s broader commitment to UN peacekeeping. For the Indian Army, her success reinforces the transformative impact of greater gender integration. As a trailblazer who broke barriers in combat aviation, Major Barak now inspires a new generation of women to pursue careers in national and global service.
In an era of complex hybrid threats and protracted conflicts, Major Barak’s work exemplifies the evolving face of modern peacekeeping, one that balances security with empathy, operational excellence with inclusivity. Her recognition is not only a personal triumph but a testament to the Indian military’s ability to adapt and lead on the global stage.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.