Members of an organisation devoted to peace, dialogue and regionalism in Southasia will feature prominently at an awards ceremony being held in New Delhi on Monday afternoon, hosted by the prestigious Women in Security, Conflict Management, and Peace organisation.
Three of the awardees are members of the activist volunteer organisation Southasia Peace Action Network, or Sapan. The recipient of the highest award is a member of the Sapan News advisory council, and one guest of honour is a Sapan founder member.
Additionally, two Sapan founder members from India will receive the awards on behalf of colleagues from Pakistan who are unable to attend the ceremony.
Southasian solidarity
The third edition of the Saahas Awards also marks WISCOMP’s 25th anniversary. Instituted in 2017. This is the first time the awards have been expanded beyond India, to “emphasize regional inclusivity and WISCOMP’s commitment to strengthening South Asian solidarity,” says the organisation.
More than 50 applications came in from across the region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
While the awards ceremony represents a significant moment for Southasian solidarity, it also underscores the challenges faced by activists in the region. Even as their contributions are being celebrated in Delhi, Pakistani activists Saeeda Diep, Mosarrat Qadeem and Beena Sarwar are unable to join the event due to difficulties in obtaining Indian visas.
The six-member jury headed by Ambassador Shyam Saran selected a diverse group of honorees, including contributions from women, men, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
The highest award, the Saahas Shresta (Great Courage), goes to the journalist and activist Patricia Mukhim, Editor of Shillong Times and a Sapan News advisory council member.
The jury termed Mukhim a “tireless advocate for communal harmony and gender equality” with “ceaseless positive energy in countering violence”.
Livestream: WISCOMP Saahas awards ceremony in Delhi, 16 December 2024
Additionally, three of the four Saahas-e-Azim (Most Fearless) awardees are Sapaners, and three of them are from Pakistan.
They include Sapan founder member Saeeda Diep, “peace activist and human rights advocate from Pakistan, championing the rights of religious minorities, especially Hindus through a gender lens” and Ruchira Gupta, “globally renowned journalist, filmmaker, and activist, dedicated to eradicating sex trafficking and empowering women”, a Sapan member from India.
Pakistani journalist Beena Sarwar, Sapan News’ founding editor and co-founder Sapan, is being recognised for her “commitment to gender equality and fostering dialogue between India and Pakistan” while Pakistani peacebuilder Mossarat Qadeem, a university professor turned activist, is being honoured for her work through her Paiman Trust which “empowers women and radicalised youth in conflict zones to become agents of peace and reconciliation”.
Sapan founder members Kavita Srivastava, a human rights activist from Jaipur, and journalist Mandira Nayar based in Delhi, will accept the awards on behalf of Saeeda Diep and Beena Sarwar respectively.
Ceremony
The awards ceremony will take place on Monday, December 16, 2024, at the India International Centre, Delhi, at 4 p.m. IST. Those wishing to join this celebration may register via the WISCOMP website or the form at this link.
Awards will be handed out by guests of honour Dr Syeda Hameed, also a Sapan founder member, and Justice Gita Mittal, former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and Saahas Awards jury member.
The attending dignitaries include UN Resident Coordinator for India, Shombi Sharp; German ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann; Netherlands ambassador to India, Marissa Gerards; former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, Gautam Mukhopadhaya.
Besides the awards mentioned above, the 2024 ceremony will honour changemakers across multiple other categories.
The Saahas Shakti (Strength) Awards, recognizing grassroots leaders and activists across the region, will go to Laxmi Chetri from Assam, India, for her work with domestic violence survivors and Deepa Pawar from Maharashtra, India, for her advocacy for marginalised communities.
The names of two other awardees are not being made public for security reasons – an Afghan woman advocating for peace and gender equality and an activist from Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, empowering women in refugee camps.
The Saahas Mashal (Torchbearer) Award highlighting collective efforts for peace goes to the Conflict Victim Women National Network, Nepal.
As the Saahas Awards honour these remarkable individuals and organisations, they also remind us of the urgent need to amplify stories of resilience, justice, and hope in Southasia.
Sapan News associate editor Pragyan Srivastava is an Indian journalist and former Fulbright-Nehru Master’s scholar at Rutgers University. With extensive experience in digital storytelling, social media, and television production, she is passionate about creating authentic and powerful stories about Southasia. Email: pragyan@sapannews.com