Social activist Ela Bhatt was on Saturday selected for the prestigious Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,Disarmament and Development 2011 for her sustained work towards empowering women. An international jury headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh selected Bhatt for the award constituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
Bhatt is the founder of the advocacy group,Self-Employed Womens Association (SEWA).
Announcing the award,trust secretary Suman Dubey said Bhatt has been selected for the award for her lifetime achievements in comprehensively empowering women in India and elsewhere through grassroots entrepreneurship,access to shelter,healthcare,micro-finance… following Gandhian path of self reliance and non-violence.