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- Mozambican rights activist and humanitarian Graca Machel has been selected for the 'Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development' for the year 2025.
- The Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust made the official announcement on Wednesday (January 21, 2026).
- An international jury, chaired by former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, selected her for this honor in recognition of her transformative contributions to education, health, and humanitarian work (especially in conflict-affected areas).
Key Features of this Prize
- Prize Money: It includes a cash award of ₹1 crore, a trophy, and a citation.
- Specialty of the Trophy: The trophy is made of 'Banded Haematite Jasper' stone, which is estimated to be approximately 2,000 million years old.
- History: This prize was instituted in 1986 in memory of Indira Gandhi.
Why was Graca Machel selected?
Graca Machel is a global-level politician and activist who has dedicated her life to raising the voice of the marginalized:
- Educational Reform: As the first Education Minister of Mozambique (1975-1989), she increased the school enrollment rate from 40% to over 90% for boys and more than 75% for girls.
- Child Protection: In the 1990s, she led a significant United Nations (UN) study on the 'Impact of Armed Conflict on Children', which changed the global rules for the protection of children affected by war.
- Global Leadership: She is a founding member of 'The Elders' and works towards the economic empowerment of women through the 'Graca Machel Trust'.
Historical Pride
Graca Machel holds a unique record—she is the only woman in the world to have served as the 'First Lady' of two different countries:
- Mozambique: As the wife of President Samora Machel.
- South Africa: As the wife of President Nelson Mandela.
This award is a tribute to her lifelong struggle for self-rule, social justice, and the creation of a just world.