{"id":7092,"date":"2026-03-09T06:18:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T00:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/?p=7092"},"modified":"2026-03-09T06:26:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T00:56:17","slug":"courage-celebrated-abhaya-bravery-awards-recognise-heroes-of-the-rape-free-india-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/?p=7092","title":{"rendered":"Courage Celebrated: Abhaya Bravery Awards Recognise Heroes of the Rape-Free India Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"91\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"91\">Abhaya Bravery Awards Honour Champions of Women\u2019s Safety and Social Change in Bengaluru<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"93\" data-end=\"556\"><strong data-start=\"93\" data-end=\"116\">Bengaluru, March 6:<\/strong> Courage, compassion and commitment to social justice took centre stage in Bengaluru as the <strong data-start=\"208\" data-end=\"233\">Abhaya Bravery Awards<\/strong> honoured individuals working tirelessly for women\u2019s safety, dignity and empowerment. The awards were presented during a special programme organised to mark <strong data-start=\"390\" data-end=\"419\">International Women\u2019s Day<\/strong>, celebrating changemakers who have contributed significantly to the <strong data-start=\"488\" data-end=\"516\">Rape-Free India movement<\/strong> and broader social welfare initiatives.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"558\" data-end=\"753\">Held at <strong data-start=\"566\" data-end=\"601\">Alliance Fran\u00e7aise de Bangalore<\/strong>, the ceremony recognised inspiring individuals whose actions reflect bravery, leadership and dedication to creating a safer and more equitable society.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"755\" data-end=\"758\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"jqd056\" data-start=\"760\" data-end=\"809\">Recognising Courage and Social Responsibility<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"1219\">The Abhaya Bravery Awards aim to celebrate individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and commitment in promoting women\u2019s safety, protecting the vulnerable and inspiring communities to stand against injustice. Organisers emphasised that recognising such contributions helps amplify powerful stories of resilience while motivating society to take collective responsibility for women\u2019s rights and dignity.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7094\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7094\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7094 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1-1024x536.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1-1024x536.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1-300x157.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1-768x402.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1-1536x804.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-1.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7094\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From Compassion to Action: Abhaya Bravery Awards Spotlight Champions of Women\u2019s Empowerment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"1221\" data-end=\"1463\">The event served as a platform for sharing inspiring journeys of individuals who have dedicated themselves to social change, reinforcing the message that community participation and awareness are key to building a safer environment for women.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1468\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"zavord\" data-start=\"1470\" data-end=\"1513\">Dignitaries Extend Support to the Cause<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1515\" data-end=\"1666\">The programme witnessed the presence of several prominent personalities who expressed solidarity with the awardees and the mission of empowering women.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1668\" data-end=\"1997\">Among those present were <strong data-start=\"1693\" data-end=\"1751\">Karnataka Mahila Congress State President Sowmya Reddy<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1753\" data-end=\"1805\">World Champion Bodybuilder (2025) Jyothsna Naidu<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1811\" data-end=\"1844\">retired KAS officer K. Mathai<\/strong>. Their presence was seen as a strong gesture of encouragement for the award recipients and for ongoing efforts to strengthen women\u2019s safety initiatives.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7095\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7095\" style=\"width: 855px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7095 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-4.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"855\" height=\"710\" srcset=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-4.jpeg 855w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-4-300x249.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-4-768x638.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 855px) 100vw, 855px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7095\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Building a Safer India: Abhaya Bravery Awards Celebrate Everyday Heroes of Women\u2019s Empowerment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"1999\" data-end=\"2214\">Several other notable personalities including <strong data-start=\"2045\" data-end=\"2131\">Brinda Adige, Dr. Girish Mood, Antony Sajeeth, Zafer Mohiuddin and Brijesh Gokhale<\/strong> also attended the event, extending their support and appreciation to the awardees.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2216\" data-end=\"2219\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"dh5mjf\" data-start=\"2221\" data-end=\"2271\">Faces of Abhaya to Lead Key Social Initiatives<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2273\" data-end=\"2445\">During the ceremony, three individuals were selected as <strong data-start=\"2329\" data-end=\"2350\">\u201cFaces of Abhaya\u201d<\/strong>, who will represent Team Abhaya in upcoming social welfare activities and awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2447\" data-end=\"2462\">They include:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2463\" data-end=\"2669\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1tu3q4e\" data-start=\"2463\" data-end=\"2530\">\n<p data-start=\"2465\" data-end=\"2530\"><strong data-start=\"2465\" data-end=\"2482\">Manika Sharma<\/strong> \u2013 Face of Abhaya for the <em data-start=\"2508\" data-end=\"2528\">Education Vertical<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"2cn8cp\" data-start=\"2531\" data-end=\"2598\">\n<p data-start=\"2533\" data-end=\"2598\"><strong data-start=\"2533\" data-end=\"2553\">Janajit Thangjam<\/strong> \u2013 Face of Abhaya for the <em data-start=\"2579\" data-end=\"2596\">Sports Vertical<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1mximvc\" data-start=\"2599\" data-end=\"2669\">\n<p data-start=\"2601\" data-end=\"2669\"><strong data-start=\"2601\" data-end=\"2618\">Sakshi Kamath<\/strong> \u2013 Face of Abhaya for the <em data-start=\"2644\" data-end=\"2669\">Animal Welfare Vertical<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2671\" data-end=\"2852\">These representatives will work alongside the Abhaya team to promote initiatives related to education, sports and animal welfare as part of the organisation\u2019s larger social mission.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7096\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7096\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7096\" src=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-3-1024x713.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"713\" srcset=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-3-1024x713.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-3-300x209.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-3-768x535.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-3.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7096\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Champions of Change Recognised at Abhaya Bravery Awards on International Women\u2019s Day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr data-start=\"2854\" data-end=\"2857\" \/>\n<p data-start=\"2859\" data-end=\"2931\"><strong data-start=\"2859\" data-end=\"2931\">For Media Updates: +91-93531 21474 [WhatsApp] | <a class=\"decorated-link cursor-pointer\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"2909\" data-end=\"2929\">indianowme@gmail.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"2933\" data-end=\"2936\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1t1ae4r\" data-start=\"2938\" data-end=\"2969\">Celebrating Everyday Heroes<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2971\" data-end=\"3154\">The ceremony honoured several individuals for their extraordinary contributions to society and their role in supporting women\u2019s empowerment. The awardees recognised this year include:<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3156\" data-end=\"3422\"><strong data-start=\"3156\" data-end=\"3422\">Manika Sharma, Janajit Thangjam, Sakshi Kamath, Subhas E. M., Veena Prakash, Dr. Munesha, Sarita Kumari, Pushpalatha, Vinod Kartavya, I. Sree Thanuja, Gopakumar, Ragini Sharma, Jithin Kumar, Papiya Kar, Bhuvaneswari, Karthik Mohan, Sangeeta Sinha and Kinjal Roy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3424\" data-end=\"3583\">Each recipient was acknowledged for their unique contributions\u2014from social service and community leadership to grassroots activism and empowerment initiatives.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"3585\" data-end=\"3588\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"xbjxvt\" data-start=\"3590\" data-end=\"3630\">Gratitude to Partners and Supporters<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3632\" data-end=\"3770\"><strong data-start=\"3632\" data-end=\"3658\">Debmalya Bhattacharyya<\/strong>, Director of the Abhaya Group, expressed gratitude to the partners and associates who supported the initiative.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3772\" data-end=\"4025\">He extended thanks to organisations including <strong data-start=\"3818\" data-end=\"3905\">De-Design, Rawley Associate, ASG Travel India Private Limited and Newskarnataka.com<\/strong>, acknowledging their support in strengthening the impact of the Abhaya Bravery Awards and the Rape-Free India movement.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4027\" data-end=\"4171\">Special appreciation was also conveyed to <strong data-start=\"4069\" data-end=\"4103\">Ayan Pramanick and Aslam Pasha<\/strong> for their continued encouragement and commitment to the initiative.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7097\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7097\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7097\" src=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-6-1024x503.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-6-1024x503.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-6-300x147.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-6-768x377.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Abhaya-Bravery-Award-Event-6.jpeg 1290w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7097\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Honouring Courage Beyond the Ordinary: Abhaya Bravery Awards Celebrate Social Impact Leaders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr data-start=\"4173\" data-end=\"4176\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"10wxdjx\" data-start=\"4178\" data-end=\"4214\">A Call for Year-Round Commitment<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"4216\" data-end=\"4398\">Highlighting the broader message of the event, <strong data-start=\"4263\" data-end=\"4302\">Payel Sengupta, CEO of Abhaya Group<\/strong>, emphasised that the spirit of International Women\u2019s Day should extend far beyond a single day.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-start=\"4400\" data-end=\"4525\">\n<p data-start=\"4402\" data-end=\"4525\">\u201cWomen\u2019s Day should not be a symbol of one day\u2019s appreciation, but a promise of 365 days of equality and safety,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-start=\"4527\" data-end=\"4708\">Her remarks underscored the need for sustained efforts from communities, institutions and policymakers to ensure women\u2019s safety, dignity and equal opportunities throughout the year.<\/p>\n<hr data-start=\"4710\" data-end=\"4713\" \/>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"gh97gz\" data-start=\"4715\" data-end=\"4757\">Building a Safer and Inclusive Society<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"4759\" data-end=\"5080\">Organisers noted that initiatives such as the Abhaya Bravery Awards aim to highlight individuals who lead social change through courage and compassion. By celebrating these changemakers, the initiative hopes to inspire more people to actively support campaigns that promote women\u2019s rights, equality and community harmony.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5082\" data-end=\"5318\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">As the ceremony concluded, participants reiterated their shared commitment to building a society where women can live with dignity, safety and equal opportunities\u2014transforming courage into collective action and hope into lasting change.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_7092\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"7092\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/indianow.me\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Abhaya Bravery Awards Honour Champions of Women\u2019s Safety and Social Change in Bengaluru Bengaluru, March 6: Courage, compassion and commitment to social justice took centre stage in Bengaluru as the Abhaya Bravery Awards honoured individuals working tirelessly for women\u2019s safety, dignity and empowerment. The awards were presented during a special programme organised to mark International [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[300,301,73,1262,74,302],"class_list":["post-7092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-karnataka","tag-abhaya","tag-abhaya-bravery-award","tag-bengaluru","tag-bsla","tag-karnataka","tag-payel-sengupta"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":237,"today_views":0},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7092"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7098,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7092\/revisions\/7098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianow.me\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}