Indian Army Major Suman Gawani to be honoured with UN Military Gender Advocate Award

Indian Army Major Suman Gawani has been selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate Award (2019). The Army Major and woman peacekeeper had served with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMSS).

Suman Gawani has been awarded for her outstanding contribution to the peacekeeping efforts in UNMISS. This is the first time that an Indian Peacekeeper has been given the UN Military Gender Advocate Award.

Along with Major Suman Gawani, Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo, a Brazilian Naval officer, will also receive the award by United Nations Secretary-General Guterres, on May 29 which is an International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

What UN Military Gender Advocate Award signifies:

The award was created in 2016 and it honours the efforts and dedication of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the UN principles on Women, Peace, and Security in Peace Operations as they get nominated by Heads and Force Commanders of Peace Operations.

Major Suman Gawani on receiving the award:

On the news, Major Gawani informed that she was earlier scheduled to visit New York for the award ceremony but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide lockdown, she will be receiving an award and will be honoured in an online ceremony on May 29. She further added that she will be the first Indian to receive this award.

About Major Suman Gawani:

Major Gawani had joined the Indian Army in 2011 where she graduated from the Officers Training Academy and then joined the Army Signal Corps. Presently, she is posted in Delhi.

She had completed her schooling in Uttarkashi and she holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the Government Post Graduate College in Dehradun.

Suman Gawani is from Pokhar Village in Tehri Garhwal, her father is a retired government officer and two of her three siblings have been serving in the Indian Army Forces.