Laxmi, an acid attack victim and a
standard-bearer for the movement to end acid
attacks in India, was honoured in the US with the prestigious International Women of Courage Award.
Giving
away the award at the State Department ceremony in Washington yesterday, First Lady Michelle Obama praised the 10
women around the world, chosen for the award, saying the winners should be
an inspiration.
Laxmi was 16 when an acquaintance threw acid
on her face while she waited at a bus stop in New Delhi in 2005, disfiguring
her permanently. Last year, Nirbhaya, a courageous 23-year-old girl whose
brutal gang rape on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012, triggered
widespread protests, also received the prestigious award.
International
Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award is
an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State
to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness
and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of
women's rights.
The award was established in 2007 by U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
on the International Women's Day, an
annual celebration observed each March 8 in many countries worldwide. U.S.
embassies have the right to recommend one woman as a candidate.
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