This moment feels truly special! To be here today, receiving the honor of being named UNFPA India’s Honorary Ambassador for Gender Equality, is overwhelming in the most beautiful way. For me, it feels like both a milestone and a beginning of what I believe to be the most fulfilling chapter of my life.
UNFPA has spent 50 years in India, working hand in hand with women, young people, and communities to advance education, equity, and empowerment. To be welcomed into this legacy makes me feel deeply honoured, but also profoundly responsible — responsible to carry this torch forward into the future we are all building together.
This role is deeply personal to me. I have always dreamt of representing my country globally in a meaningful way. I have also always dreamt of being able to use my voice, my influence, for a cause I deeply believe in. And today I feel that both my dreams have beautifully merged and become this extraordinary moment.
For me, gender equality is not just an idea — it is about dignity, about equal opportunities, and about the freedom to make one’s own choices. And I’ve always believed that education is the key that unlocks that freedom — the power to decide your own path. I’ve also always felt strongly for the cause of domestic violence and even produced my first film on this very subject because I believe Real change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, it takes persistence, it takes a constant push and nudge from generation after generation.
My mother, for instance, in her time, had to shatter stereotypes and break through glass ceilings to become the first working woman in her extended family. She was told, “What’s the point of studying so much? You’re eventually going to get married. What's the point of another degree” But she still fought her way through. And after marriage, she was blessed with a very supportive husband and she continued her journey—completing her PhD, becoming a professor, refusing to let anyone else define her potential.
It was because she fought for her dreams that I grew up witnessing something beautiful: both my parents were working and managing our home with equal responsibility, equal partnership & equal respect. I never saw gender roles in my house—I only saw love, companionship, and absolute equality. That shaped not just my thinking, my values, but also my soul. I grew up as the dreamer I am, truly believing I could achieve anything I put my mind to and my parents gave me wings to fly.
I believe true success is when you can make way for the next generation and I really hope I’m able to do the same because I know that when women and girls are educated and empowered, they don’t just change their own lives — they uplift families, communities, nations.
Fun Fact or rather a Phenomenal Fact:
Did you know that India’s female labour force participation has risen to 41.7% in 2023–24, up from just 23% in 2017–18? That is a big positive shift, but it is only the beginning of what is possible. IMF estimates say that if women’s participation in the workforce were equal to that of men, India’s GDP could rise by 27% by 2030. The point is when women work, economies grow. These are not just numbers, they are proof that empowering women is the smartest investment we can make as a nation.
This morning, I met four remarkable young women — Sonali, Sindhu, Urmila, and Priyanka. They are proof that when dreams are supported, the impossible becomes possible.
Yes, I am an actor, a producer, an entrepreneur. But at my heart, at my absolute core, I am a storyteller. And through this role, I want to tell stories that matter — stories of girls discovering their power, of communities choosing equality, of a future where every child has the freedom to dream.
Before I close, I want to take a moment to thank the entire UNFPA India family for this honor, for trusting me with this responsibility and for the incredible work you continue to do every single day. I feel humbled, I feel grateful, and more than anything I feel excited to walk this journey with you — towards an India where every girl can dream, rise, soar, and shine.
Thank you
Watch the Video on UNFPA India’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApmymXi_8qo
