Sapan shines at the WISCOMP Saahas awards in Delhi – a video and a report

Posted on December 29, 2024 by beenasarwar

Hello friends – I’m still in Boston, waiting for permission to visit India. The WISCOMP Saahas (courage) awards ceremony I wanted to attend on 16 December is over, but I am still like to go and visit my friends and family, and show my Sri Lanka documentary at various places including the Bangalore International Center, the IIC, Delhi, and in Chennai – police in all three cities have given clearance as far as I know.

Sharing the edited version of the WISCOMP awards ceremony below – they had taken it offline to edit out the Afghan and Bangladeshi activists who were kept anonymous. Don’t miss the inspirational speeches by the awardees and thoughtprovoking documentary on the courageous journalist Patricia Mukhim from India’s North-East (I love her singing in it and now I know where her love for plants and nature comes from).

Here is a report about the event in The Wire – I’m delighted they used a photo of featuring the wonderful community of Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan) Peacemongers who joined my dear friend and colleague, journalist Mandira Nayar on stage after she accepted the award on my behalf from Dr Syeda Hameed, a Sapan founder member and advisor. It was wonderful and moving to see Aekta Kapoor, Ruchira Gupta (also a Saahas awardee), Parshu Narayan, Reema Amin, and the veteran peace activist O.P. Shah from Kolkata come together – thank you WISCOMP for inviting them.

Other wonderful members of our community were present but remained seated, like the inspirational activist Harsh Mander of Carvan-e-Mohabbat, poet and writer Sagari Chhabra, and journalist and activist Rita Manchanda.

Mukta Lall, daughter of the poet Jagannath Azad, was also present but had to leave before my name was called. We’ve been been in communication with for years but never met. It was Mukta ji who provided me with a scan of her father’s Urdu poem that served as Pakistan’s first national anthem – well documented, although there is no official record.

An awards ceremony in Delhi I will miss

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An awards ceremony in Delhi I will miss

Posted on December 16, 2024 by beenasarwar

The event in India this afternoon represents a significant moment for Southasian solidarity. It also underscores the challenges in the region, including visa restrictions between Pakistan and India

I feel deeply honoured to be among the wonderful women being conferred the Saahas-e-Azim (Most Fearless) award by WISCOMP in Delhi today – Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace, celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Sapan founder member Dr Syeda Hameed

It is amazing that three of the awardees are from Pakistan – but sadly unable to be there at the ceremony, thanks to the visa issues between Pakistan and India.

I’m also delighted that several awardees are Sapaners – from the Southasia Peace Action Network.

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”.

Further delighted that our dear mentor Dr Syeda Hameed is a guest of honour conferring the awards, and that our lovely friends Kavita Srivastava and Mandira Nayar will be there to receive the honour on behalf of Saeeda Diep and me.

The large Sapan presence and contingent in this event includes four of the awardees, a guest of honour, and two accepting the awards, as Pragyan Srivastava wrote today for Sapan News

Saahas Awards to honour courageous changemakers across Southasia

Patricia Mukhim, Ruchira Gupta, Beena Sarwar, Saeeda Diep. Collage by Pragyan Srivastava.

Read the article

The Pakistanis besides myself are 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 Mossarat Qadeem, a university professor turned activist, 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”.

The fourth Saahas-e-Azim awardee is Ruchira Gupta, “globally renowned journalist, filmmaker, and activist, dedicated to eradicating sex trafficking and empowering women”, a Sapan member from India.

Thanks also to our great friends and Sapaners Aekta Kapoor and Sagari Chhabra for the nominations.

(ends)

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