NEW DELHI: Closer to Women’s Day, on March 2, the Capital bestowed 18 women with the International Women’s Day Awards 2020 at Hotel Le Meridien. These Outstanding Women Achievers of 2019 included Deborah Ash (Senior Technical Advisor FHI 360 in the category of Public Health and Nutrition), Kiran Modi (Founder of Udayan Care for Child Welfare), Tania Singh (author of Being Reshma and founder of Make Love, Not Scares for Social Activism), Nazia Erum (Head-Media and Advocacy, Amnesty International for the category of Author) and many more.
“The nominations are women that the organisation has heard about and looked into their profiles,” informs Leher Sethi, organiser of the ICUNR event, on the steps by the organisation of choosing the awardees. She adds that the names were also passed through the management of Indian Council for UN Relation (ICUNR).
“However, next year, we plan to have onboard a value partner who can take in submissions, as every year we receive many submissions. We would really like to take self and organisational nominations.”
Talking more the event, Sethi said, “Here, we recognise women for their various contributions by honouring and awarding, along with striving for gender parity and equality. We also have a panel discussion on current women-related issues. While the last two editions had a panel discussion on Beti Bachao, Beti Padao (The Survival, Protection and Education of the Girl and Women Empowerment & Feminism) The pursuit of women’s rights in the Indian society, this year the discussion was on the theme Women’s Safety in India – A Crumbling Myth?”
The panellists included Asha Devi, (Nirbhaya’s mother), Nazia Erum (Media & Advocacy – Amnesty International & Author of ‘Mothering a Muslim), acid attack survivor Laxmi Aggarwal and others.
Entertainment Chitrangada Singh
An actor, who truly personifies the phrase ‘beauty with brains’ and has a captivating charm on the silver screen. Her work includes Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Desi Boyz, Inkaar, I, Me Aur Main and her latest one being Baazaar. She has been awarded the Bollywood Movie Award in the category of Best Female Debut for her Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, an Indian political drama film made by director Sudhir Mishra in 2003 but released in 2005.
Healthcare Deborah Ash
This Senior Technical Advisor, South Asia, Alive & Thrive Project at FHI Solutions has 20 years of experience in implementing large-scale global nutrition projects. For over 15 years, Ash has served in influential in-country technical assistance roles, working with governments and partners in Africa (Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania) and South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India).
Law Gitanjali Kapoor
A mediator with the Delhi Dispute Resolution Forum and a lawyer in the Delhi High Court, Kapoor works on arbitration, commercial and civil litigation in various courts and forums, drafting, vetting and finalisation of agreements trademark and trademark and infringement litigation, rendering legal opinion and legal support to companies in their day to day business operations.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr Shayama Chona She is the Founder-President of Tamana Association, established in 1984 and the former Principal of Delhi Public School, RK Puram. Her efforts to break the barriers for poor and specially challenged children is unprecedented. She has been serving on over 99 advisory boards, committees and educational institutions, and is also a member of UNESCO. She’s the recipient of the
Padma Bhushan (2008) and Padma Shri (1999).
Art Pranita Pravin Bora
She has been felicitated with the hands of Rahul Dwivedi, Collector of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra on receiving Special Award by Ram Nath Kovid, President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan at Artist-in-Residence Programme on November 27, 2019.