This year’s Kamla Bhasin Awards 2024 for ‘Driving Gender Equality Across South Asia’ have been awarded to Lalitha Ranjani of Sri Lanka and Sunil Mohan from India. Additionally, the Special Jury Awards have been conferred upon Jaya Chakma from Bangladesh and Nikhil Taneja from India. The awards were presented on Saturday, 30 November 2024, at India Habitat Centre, recognising the exemplary work to challenge patriarchy, promote gender justice, and inspire meaningful societal change.

The award is named after Kamla Bhasin, a feminist icon, poet, author, educationist and a pioneer of the women’s rights movement in South Asia. The awards are given under two categories, which include a citation in the form of a trophy and a cheque of INR 100,000 each. Azad Foundation, iPartner India, and the National Foundation for India have jointly provided these awards since 2022. The Special Jury Award consists of a citation as a trophy.

The former President of Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, was a guest of honour at the award ceremony.

While Ranjani won the award in the first category, a woman (cis/trans) practising Non-Traditional Livelihood, Mohan has been awarded under category two, a man (cis/trans), working towards enabling a gender-just ecosystem. Chakma has been awarded under Category One and Taneja under Category Two, respectively. The awardees were selected by a six-member jury chaired by diplomat and human rights advocate Radhika Coomaraswamy (Sri Lanka). Other jury members included Anu Aga (India), Khushi Kabir (Bangladesh), Binda Pandey (Nepal), Munizae Jahangir (Pakistan) and Namita Bhandare (India).

The ceremony was joined by a jury member from Nepal, Binda Pandey. Recalling her deep association with Bhasin, Pandey said, “She is the icon, strength, & inspiration of the feminist movement in South Asia. Whenever we face any struggle or obstacle, we feel Bhasin’s presence within us in the form of her strength.” Pandey is a former Federal Parliament member and 1st Nepali Constituent Assembly (2008).

After the event, it was announced that to maintain the South Asian essence of the award, next year’s ceremony will be held in Nepal and organised by Tewa, Kathmandu.