BENGALURU
Major Swathi Shantha Kumar, a 31-year-old officer from Bengaluru serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has been honoured with the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 for her groundbreaking project, “Equal Partners, Lasting Peace.” The initiative was recognised in the UN’s Gender Category for fostering safety, mobility, and empowerment for 5,000 local women, enabling them to actively participate in peace dialogues and community decision-making.
Under Major Swathi’s leadership, India’s first all-female engagement team conducted extensive patrols—both land-based and riverine, as well as dynamic air patrols—covering some of South Sudan’s most remote and conflict-prone regions. The project not only ensured physical security but also strengthened trust between communities and peacekeeping forces, setting a benchmark for gender-inclusive operations in international missions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the initiative’s contribution to enhancing gender parity and community confidence in UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.
A graduate of Bengaluru schools, Major Swathi trained at the Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, in 2018. She served in Kalimpong, Ladakh, and Gujarat before her UN deployment. Her mother, Rajamani, a retired headmistress, praised her courage and dedication, saying Swathi’s work reflects bravery, leadership, and a strong commitment to building lasting peace in conflict-affected regions.