Meet Major Abhilasha Barak: Indian Army Officer Awarded 2025 UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year
In a significant recognition of India’s contributions to gender-inclusive peacekeeping, Major Abhilasha Barak of the Indian Army has been named the recipient of the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
The award honours her exemplary leadership as Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) within the Indian Battalion deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Major Barak is being recognised for her sustained outreach and community engagement initiatives targeting women and adolescent girls, as well as her dedicated efforts in conducting gender sensitisation training for fellow peacekeepers.
A Trailblazer in Multiple Domains
Major Abhilasha Barak holds a distinguished place in Indian military history as the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army. Commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in September 2018, she subsequently qualified as a combat aviator after completing rigorous training at the Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik in 2022. She is qualified to operate advanced platforms including the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and the armed Rudra variant, demonstrating exceptional skill in both aviation and ground-based peacekeeping roles.
Her current deployment in southern Lebanon underscores the Indian Army’s commitment to integrating gender perspectives into mission planning and execution. As head of the FET, Major Barak has facilitated direct engagement with local communities, addressing protection concerns, promoting women’s participation in peace processes, and fostering trust in areas where cultural norms limit interaction with male personnel.
Prestigious Recognition with Strong Indian Lineage
The UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, established in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the Department of Peace Operations, celebrates individual military peacekeepers who effectively integrate gender considerations into their work and advance the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. Nominations are submitted by Force Commanders and Heads of Mission across all peacekeeping operations.
Major Barak becomes the third Indian recipient of this honour. She follows Major Suman Gawani, who received the 2019 award (jointly with a Brazilian officer) for her service with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), and Major Radhika Sen, recipient of the 2023 award for her work as Commander of the Engagement Platoon with the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
The award will be formally presented at United Nations Headquarters in New York during the commemoration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on 29 May 2026.
India’s Enduring Commitment to UN Peacekeeping
India remains one of the largest and most consistent contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations, having deployed over 250,000 military and police personnel across more than 50 missions since 1948. As of early 2026, the Indian contingent in UNIFIL comprises 642 personnel out of the mission’s total strength of approximately 7,538 troops from 48 countries, making India the fourth-largest contributor to the Lebanon mission.
Indian peacekeepers have long been noted for their professionalism, discipline, and community-oriented approach. Major Barak’s recognition further highlights India’s proactive role in advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda, ensuring that peacekeeping operations are more inclusive, effective, and responsive to the needs of local populations — particularly women and girls.
Broader Significance
The award underscores the growing importance of gender-responsive peacekeeping. Female Engagement Teams such as the one led by Major Barak play a vital role in building rapport with half the population in mission areas, gathering critical intelligence, addressing gender-based violence, and supporting the empowerment of local women. Her dual identity as a combat aviator and gender advocate exemplifies the multifaceted capabilities that modern peacekeepers must possess.
Speaking on the announcement, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations stated that the recognition reflects “the outstanding contributions of Indian women peacekeepers who continue to serve with distinction and set new benchmarks in the service of global peace and security.”
Major Abhilasha Barak’s achievement adds to India’s proud legacy of producing exceptional women officers who are breaking barriers both in combat aviation and in the complex domain of international peacekeeping. Her work in Lebanon stands as a model for integrating gender perspectives into every aspect of mission success.
