A young widowed mother suffering through extreme poverty coupled with the lack of education meant unsurmountable odds for late Smt. Anjani Tai Mashelkar. Undeterred by these odds, she brought up Raghunath Mashelkar with determination and perseverance. She continued to raise his aspirations for higher education and achievement while giving him values of morality, ethics and concern for the poor at the same time. She was truly an inspiration! The Anjani Mashelkar Inspiration Award will be given annually in this spirit to the inspiring life and work of an elderly and unsung Indian hero.
This year, Ms. Flavia Agnes won the Anjani Mashelkar Inspiration Award.
She’s a lawyer and a social activist, helping to transform a ‘victim to a survivor with the help of quality legal services’, through her organization “Majlis”. Since 1991, Majlis works for the protection and promotion of women and children’s rights through legal representation, advocacy and training.
She has dedicated her life to providing legal support to women from underprivileged and marginalized backgrounds to ensure gender justice, especially for women facing domestic violence and for children who are abused.
Her work has created a huge social impact and today, Ms. Flavia Agnes stands as a role model for thousands of women, inspiring them to fight their own battles and succeed through the tough times with their hard work, courageous will power and an ability to take others forward with them, just as late Anjani Mashelkar did!