UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres bestowed a distinguished medal on Indian woman peacekeeper Major Radhika Sen, stating that she is a great leader and role model whose service is a true credit to the UN as a whole.
In honor of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Thursday, Major Sen, a member of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), was presented with the esteemed “2023 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award” by Guterres during a ceremony held at the organization’s headquarters.
Major Radhika Sen’s Leadership and Achievements
“Major Sen is an excellent leader and mentor. Her work is a genuine asset to the UN organization as a whole. Please join me in extending congratulations to India’s Major Radhika Sen. As he oversaw the awarding of the Dag Hammarskjold medal and the Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Guterres remarked, “I could not be prouder to present her with the Award.”
From March 2023 until April 2024, Major Sen led MONUSCO’s Engagement Platoon for the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion (INDRDB) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Major Sen and every peacekeeper were praised by Guterres for their dedication, leadership, and support of the Women, Peace, and Security initiative. He mentioned that Major Sen, who commanded the engagement platoon of the Indian contingent, took her company on numerous missions.
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Major Sen’s Impact and Background
He stated, “Her troops actively engaged with conflict-affected communities, particularly women and girls, during these patrols in an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu, and she earned their trust.” With humility, kindness, and commitment, that is.
According to the UN head, Major Sen gave women a secure and accepting space to voice their opinions and worries so that the Mission could better meet their needs.
Eight years ago, Major Sen, who was born in Himachal Pradesh in 1993, enlisted in the Indian Army. When she made the decision to enlist in the military, she had just graduated from IIT Bombay as a biotech engineer and was working toward a master’s degree.
She joined the Indian Rapid Deployment Battalion in March 2023 and was sent to MONUSCO as the Engagement Platoon Commander. She served there till April 2024.
