Major Swathi shares experiences, challenges in South Sudan after winning UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 (IANS Exclusive)

IANS | March 7, 2026 11:31 AM

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Major Swathi Shantha Kumar, a Bengaluru-based officer serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has been honoured with the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 in the gender category for her project ‘Equal Partners, Lasting Peace’. Speaking to IANS, the Indian Army officer shared her experiences during the mission, her key responsibilities on the ground, and the challenges she faced while serving in the conflict-affected region.