Major Abhilasha Barak wins UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award

8 JUNE 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Major Abhilasha Barak on being conferred the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award and said the honour is a recognition of her exemplary service and also of India’s longstanding contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping efforts.
Major Barak, currently serving with the United Nations mission in Lebanon, has been honoured with the award for her outreach efforts with women and girls during her deployment in the West Asian nation.
She is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army.