Two Indian-origin Singaporean women honoured at media awards

Two Indian-origin women who have set records and blazed a trail in their respective fields have been recognised in Singapore by a local fashion and style magazine "Her World".

Justice Judith Prakash, 72, was on Monday named the 'Her World Woman of the Year 2024' for her pioneering work in the legal field at the magazine's annual awards ceremony, The Straits Times reported.

National sprinter Shanti Pereira, 28, received the 'Her World Young Woman Achiever 2024' award for her sporting achievements.

Justice Prakash is Singapore's first female Judge of Appeal and was first appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 1992.

In her 31 years on the bench, she authored about 645 judgments and more than half of them were selected for inclusion in law reports due to their significance and valuable legal propositions.

The senior judge is also a renowned expert in commercial law. She played a role in the enactment of the International Arbitration Act 1994, which helped establish Singapore as a global arbitration hub.

SPH Media, which publishes both 'Her World' and The Straits Times, in a statement said Justice Prakash paved the way for aspiring female lawyers to build their careers in the judiciary.

Justice Prakash on receiving the award said, “It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award for a career that has given me so much in my life – not just intellectual challenge but also an opportunity to help solve people's problems and, along the way, contribute to the development of Singapore's laws as well.”

Pereira, who recently competed in the Paris Olympics, was lauded for embodying resilience and grit. Between 2018 and early 2022, Pereira faced multiple setbacks. She had a hamstring injury and lost two scholarships – a sports high-performance type and a university one.

She, however, bounced back, setting new national records in the 100m and 200m.

At the Asian Games in 2023, she won silver in the 100m and gold in the 200m – the first track and field gold medal for Singapore since 1974.

Pereira also set a national record while preparing for the Paris Olympics, setting a time of 53.67 seconds in a 400m race at a track meet in Florida. She now holds the national record in all four sprint categories – 60m, 100m, 200m and 400m.

SPH Media called Pereira “a role model for many young women and athletes in Singapore”.

Expressing her gratitude for the recognition of her efforts to put Singapore track and field on the world map, the athlete said: “I hope to continue inspiring young girls and women to never let anyone else determine their paths in life or stop them from chasing their dreams.”