In a moment of pride for India, Major Abhilasha Barak of the Indian Army has been awarded the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2025 for her outstanding contribution to gender-inclusive peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon.

Currently serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major Barak leads the Female Engagement Team (FET) of the Indian Battalion. She has been recognized for her extensive outreach and community engagement initiatives with women and adolescent girls, as well as for conducting gender-sensitization training for peacekeepers. Her efforts have significantly strengthened trust between local communities and UN peacekeeping forces while promoting the participation and empowerment of women in conflict-affected regions.

Major Barak is also known as the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army, making her achievement even more significant. The award, established in 2016 by the UN Department of Peace Operations, recognizes military peacekeepers who demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing the principles of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

With this honour, Major Barak becomes the third Indian peacekeeper to receive the award, following Major Suman Gawani in 2019 and Major Radhika Sen in 2023. Her recognition highlights India’s continued commitment to global peacekeeping and gender equality initiatives under the United Nations framework.