Kalpana Soren, MLA from Gandey constituency in Jharkhand, was conferred the Women Empowerment Trailblazer Award at the 6th BRICS CCI WE Annual Women Summit & Felicitation 2026 held in New Delhi.
About Kalpana Soren
- Member of: Jharkhand Legislative Assembly
- Constituency: Gandey
- Key work areas:
- Women empowerment
- Social inclusion
- Community development
Recognised for her efforts in promoting women’s participation in socio-economic processes
About the Summit
- Organised by: BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Women Empowerment Vertical (BRICS CCI WE)
- Duration: 21–23 March 2026 (3 days)
- Theme 2026: “Women in Innovation, Science Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WISE) – Inspiring Change, Shaping Tomorrow”
WISE Initiative
- Launched during: BRICS Women Business Alliance Plenary (Rio de Janeiro, 2025)
- Objective: To Promote:
- Women-led innovation
- Global partnerships
- Leadership in science and entrepreneurship
Focus on moving “from conversation to action” in women empowerment
Other Key Awardees
- Shabana Azmi: “Trailblazer: Living Legend” Award
- Debjani Ghosh: Lifetime Achievement Award
Significance
- Highlights: India’s growing leadership in women empowerment initiatives
- Strengthens: Collaboration among BRICS nations in gender inclusion
- Encourages: Women’s participation in:
- Innovation
- Entrepreneurship
- Leadership roles
About BRICS
- Members (original): Brazil, Russia, India, China
- South Africa joined: 2010
- First Summit: 2009 (Yekaterinburg, Russia)
- Expansion:
- 2024: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE
- 2025: Indonesia
Now evolving into “BRICS+” model representing the Global South
Key Institutional Development
- New Development Bank (NDB): Established in 2014 (Fortaleza Summit)
India and BRICS
- India hosted summits: 2012, 2016, 2021
- India will host: 18th BRICS Summit (2026)