Major Abhilasha Barak awarded 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

Key facts

• Major Abhilasha Barak, an Indian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), has been named the recipient of the 2025 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
• She is serving as the Commander of the Female Engagement Team (FET) in UNIFIL and is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army.
• The award recognises her outreach efforts with women and girls during her deployment and gender sensitisation training for peacekeepers.
• Major Abhilasha Barak is the third Indian recipient of this award, following Major Suman Gawani (2019) and Major Radhika Sen (2023).
• The award was created in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs within the Department for Peace Operations (DPO) and honours military peacekeepers who promote the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.