Key Highlights
- The United Nations will confer the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal posthumously on Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan.
- Major Abhilasha Barak receives the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for her leadership of a Female Engagement Team in UNIFIL.
- India contributes over 4,200 troops and police personnel to UN missions, ranking second worldwide.
- Indian peacekeepers are active in eight distinct theatres, from the Congo to Western Sahara.
- The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal honors individuals who die while serving under the UN flag.
Detailed Insights
During the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Secretary‑General António Guterres will present the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to the families of two Indian soldiers who lost their lives while deployed on United Nations missions. Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh was part of MONUSCO, the stabilization effort in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan served with UNMISS in South Sudan. Their sacrifices exemplify the risks faced by personnel operating in some of the world’s most volatile conflict zones.
In parallel, Major Abhilasha Barak, currently attached to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was honoured with the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. As commander of a Female Engagement Team, she has championed gender‑sensitive approaches, encouraged women’s participation in peace‑building initiatives, and fostered community dialogue. Barak, also celebrated as India’s first female combat helicopter pilot, follows Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen, who were recognised in preceding years for similar contributions.
India remains a cornerstone of UN peacekeeping, fielding more than 4,200 military and police personnel, including 155 women. Indian contingents are deployed across eight missions – Abyei, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, Western Sahara, and others – underscoring the nation’s strategic and humanitarian commitment to global stability.
Key Concepts
- Dag Hammarskjöld Medal: One of the United Nations’ highest posthumous decorations, awarded to those who die while serving in peace‑keeping operations.
- Female Engagement Team (FET): A UN‑sanctioned unit that employs female personnel to bridge cultural gaps, promote women’s safety, and enhance community outreach in conflict zones.
- Military Gender Advocate of the Year: An annual UN accolade recognizing individuals who advance gender equality and women’s empowerment within peace‑keeping contexts.