New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated Major Abhilasha Barak on being conferred the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, hailing her “exemplary service” and calling this achievement an inspiration for Indian youth aspiring to serve society.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Congratulations to Major Abhilasha Barak on being conferred the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. Major Barak is serving as an Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).”

“This honour is a recognition of her exemplary service and also of India’s longstanding contribution to United Nations peacekeeping efforts. Her achievement is also an inspiration to countless young Indians, especially our daughters, who aspire to serve the nation and humanity,” he added.

Major Barak, India’s first woman combat helicopter pilot, has received the UN 2005 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her efforts to promote the role and perspectives of women in peacekeeping.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who presented the award, said she was “a role model to those you serve, and those you serve with”.

“Dreams do not have a gender, and neither does leadership, courage, or the will to serve humanity,” said Major Barak, who is deployed in Lebanon, currently the most dangerous UN peacekeeping site.

She added that the award is a reminder that lasting peace can only be built when every voice is heard and every individual is empowered.

Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Buttenheim said Major Barak’s “leadership and innovation have advanced the women, peace, and security agenda across military operations”.

About Major Barak’s work, Guterres said that by building trust with local communities, she helped develop early-warning networks that strengthen the mission’s ability to protect civilians.

“As a frontline commander, she has engaged thousands of women and girls through vocational training and programmes for education and health,” he said, adding that she is transforming lives even under the most challenging circumstances.

Barak is the third woman officer from India to be awarded the Military Gender Advocate Award after Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen.

She is the Engagement Team Commander and Gender Focal Point in the Indian Battalion deployed with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

UNIFIL, which is deployed along the border between Israel and Lebanon, is now the riskiest peacekeeping operation as fighting rages between Israel and Hezbollah. On Wednesday night, a peacekeeper with the mission became the seventh to be killed since March.

Reflecting on her military career, Major Barak said, “Being the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army, I experienced firsthand how opportunity enables women to break barriers and reach milestones.”

–IANS

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