She turned down IBM offer for Indian Army, now this Bengaluru engineer is winner of UN’s peacekeeping honour

“My sister and I grew up in a very positive environment, often hearing about people who overcame struggles to achieve. My mother once told me about her student who cleared the civil service exams; it was really motivating for me,” she recalls.

She was well-known for her participation in sports at school and at Christ PU College, and was also recognised for her willingness to help neighbours and her active involvement in cultural events. For example, she was enthusiastic about preparing food during the Ganesh festival. “I have fond memories of those days,” she reminisces.

Swathi then pursued electrical and electronics engineering at New Horizon College. “Like any other student, my parents wanted me to excel academically. For most of my life, I followed the ‘rule’ book, and I never imagined that I would join the Indian Army,” she recalls.

By the time she completed her engineering degree in 2016, Swathi participated in a campus interview and secured a job at IBM. “It was a time when any parent would be thrilled to see their son or daughter become an engineer,” she says.

What happened next was unexpected for Swathi and her family. While her friends were attending the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, Swathi decided to join them and successfully cleared the interview as well.

When it was time for her to choose between a job at IBM and the Indian Army, her father and grandfather advised her to pursue the Indian Army position. “Taking the job in the Indian Army was probably one of the best decisions of my life,” she says.

“Once I joined the Army and experienced its values and way of life, I realised this is where I truly belong. Serving in uniform feels natural—it feels right. The uniform does not change who you are—it reveals your strength,” she says.

Healing Malakal: The UN Mission

Malakal in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, is often mired in serious risks, including killings, sexual violence, kidnapping, severe food shortages, and many other issues. The UN initiated a project, Equal Partners, Lasting Peace, to advance gender parity and promote gender-responsive peacekeeping, in alignment with the UN mandate.

When the Indian government decided to send its first all-women military engagement team to Malakal, Swathi was selected for the team. According to the UN, it was one of the largest UN peacekeeping operations with more than 20,000 staff from many countries.

“It is a different experience altogether, and I was excited to attend,” she says. For a country hit by violence and unrest, it was not a cakewalk or an easy start for the Indian Army’s all-women contingency. This time, the focus was not on weapons but on building trust with the local community.

Major Swathi Shantha Kumar interacting with local residents in Malakal in South Sudan (Special arrangement).

Initially, it was a tough task for Swathi because the local women were unreceptive despite being provided with health kits and other necessary items. But as the days passed, the team gained the trust of Swathi and her team and began engaging with them.

The challenges were aplenty due to cultural differences, language barriers, and trust issues, but Swathi and her team gradually gained the locals’ confidence to the point that they wanted her to stay longer in Malakal. Swathi says she was part of the sequence of positive change taking place in Malakal.

UN award, message to women

In February, Major Swathi returned to India with one of the UN’s highest honours. Selected from a global pool of contenders, she received the UN Secretary-General’s Award 2025 for her exceptional work in reassuring the women and children of Malakal of a brighter future.

When asked if there was any moment as a woman in uniform when she felt she had to prove more than others, she says, “I always believed in myself. Very early in my training, I understood that I am not defined as a woman officer—but as an Army officer.”

“Of course, I felt some limitations, like in certain physical tasks, but that is something that makes every person different from the other. I don’t think we need to differentiate between a male/female officer; once you wear the uniform, you share the same responsibilities toward your troops and the nation. The Indian Army trains you to lead, and once in uniform, performance and integrity speak louder than anything else.”

Speaking about the UN award, she said, “It proves that when given responsibility and trust, women can deliver operational impact on the ground. This supports the belief that women can even perform duties in infantry roles and that the Indian Army is fully capable of inducting women soldiers who will further improve the army’s operational capability.”

When asked what message she wants to give to young girls and women who aspire to serve the nation but doubt themselves, Swathi says, “Believe in yourself. Trust your purpose. Have the courage to take the first step, discipline and perseverance will take you the rest of the way.”

“If you have thought of it, then it can exist; just put your heart into it. I never took any prior physical training before joining the army, but when you are in a group of people who come together and motivate you to break your barriers, you overcome your inhibitions.”

Swathi, who is now on her way to Bengaluru, is eagerly awaiting a reunion with her family and watching some of the movies she missed during her assignment in Malakal.