Chandigarh's Payal Kanwar gets French honour for furthering ties with India
Chandigarh, November 24
The Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain, conferred the insignia of Chevalier de L’Ordre national du Mérite on the Director General of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI)/CCI France-Inde, Payal S Kanwar. The ceremony took place at the Embassy of France in New Delhi.
Payal, who hails from Chandigarh, was honoured in recognition of her commitment and contribution towards developing and promoting economic and bilateral relations between India and France as well as expanding the French business ecosystem in India.
She did her secondary education from St Stephen’s School, Sector 45 (batch of 1998). She completed her senior secondary at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, and graduation in French (Hons) from Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, where she topped with a gold medal.
“It’s an honour to receive the Chevalier de L’Ordre national du Mérite. The national order is also recognition of my entire team. It has been my privilege to work alongside the Indo-French business community and witness the growing economic cooperation between India and France,” said Payal.
She joined the IFCCI in 2011 and worked to develop Indo-French business and industry relations. In her current role as the Director General, she leads a pan-India team of 30 members. At the IFCCI, she has facilitated many interactions between French companies and the central and state ministries of India, helping French companies better understand investment opportunities in India’s business landscape.
“Payal is a key actor of La Team France in India as the Director General of the IFCCI. She integrated into the Franco-Indian business ecosystem, and undoubtedly one of the most active and passionate leaders of the network of bilateral chambers of commerce that France has set up abroad,” said Lenain.
The IFCCI has received three international honours — ‘Best Performing Chamber’ in 2018, ‘Best Contribution Award’ in 2019 and ‘Best Solidarity Initiative’’ in 2022 — by CCI France International.
