My nomination: Ambassador

My first nomination for the Ambassador category is the incredible Urmila Chanam.

Although Urmila and I live a night’s journey by train away from each other, I “met” her through World Pulse. A true force to reckon with, Urmila is one of the most amazing women I had the opportunity to look up to, to learn from, and to grow alongside with. She is a powerful influencer that encourages you to think. The thing about Urmila’s leadership is that it is entirely by example and encouragement, not by imposition. Reading her updates and engaging with her work will by itself facilitate a whole journey of personal and professional growth that no university in the world truly can.

Urmila is a powerhouse of strength. She has seen and experienced a range of events in life that could leave one feeling despair, but that she has firmed her resolve and braved on, making change possible through it all, is an exceptional reminder of why she truly deserves her spot under the sun. Urmila creates change in everything she does: be that in her work with men and boys or in her work with menstrual health, or in the stories she writes and shares with the world around her.

Personally, Urmila has given me so much encouragement and strength to strive to be a better person. She does not allow any tide to wash over her sense of hope and resilience, and no force of nature can take away the unconditional strength and courage she nurtures within herself and in the communities she fosters through the work she does. Urmila truly does life those around her, she speaks up for all that she believes in, seeks personal and community transformation, connects and builds, and is incredibly passionate about making a difference to the world around her.