Showing true diplomatic talent, she laughed off questions about the current tensions between India and Pakistan but pulled no punches on the need to bridge the gender gap in India.
Chosen to be Canada’s high commissioner for a day, 20-year-old Medha Mishra, an engineering student from Jaipur, proved to be a tough boss, as a staff of the embassy attested. “She has been running a tight ship, she made me work a lot,” Jess Dutton, the deputy high commissioner told the New Indian Express.
Medha won the chance to be Canada’s high commissioner to India by acting a video contest organized by the embassy to mark the ‘International Day of the Girl Child,’ which falls on October 11.
“Being the Canadian ambassador has been really tough. I have been meeting delegates all morning,” said Medha even as she prepped up for a 2.6 km ‘Run for Her’ organized by the embassies of 20 countries to create awareness on gender equality.
After the morning meeting with her staff to discuss issues related to girl children, she attended an interaction by the ambassadors of Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Finland and US with the students of IILM Institute for Higher Education. The subject again was close to her heart: ‘Glass ceiling or a sticky floor’.
“I am a staunch feminist and gender equality is important. We are half the population of the planet,” said Medha. In fact, her winning video was about ‘Why girls’ rights are important and what can be done to achieve greater gender equality’.