BRICS recognition: Chandigarh Mayor honoured in Moscow for gender equality initiatives

Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla was awarded the BRICS Urban Innovation Award 2025 at the BRICS Urban Forum in Moscow.

The award was presented in the "Empowerment of Women" category — acknowledging the city's impactful initiatives and unwavering commitment to gender equality.

The selection process was rigorous with a distinguished panel of experts from the United Nations playing a key role in the shortlisting and final selection of the award recipients.

The forum, a major international event, brought together influential leaders and innovators from across the BRICS nations.

Chandigarh was nominated alongside prominent global cities with Mayor Babla's presence highlighting the city's rising profile on the world stage.

Babla said, "It's an honour to represent the City Beautiful on this platform."

She said that she dedicated the award to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose initiatives have empowered women to step out of their homes and into leadership roles, making a tangible difference to society.

BJP Chandigarh State President Jatinder Pal Malhotra has extended congratulations to the Mayor.