Deepa Willingham honored with Santa Barbara U.N. Association Peace Prize

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Indian American Deepa Willingham has been awarded the 2018 Santa Barbara Peace Prize by the United Nations Association of Santa Barbara and Tri Counties.

According to Rotary 5040’s website, Willingham is naturalized U.S. citizen, who was born and raised in Kolkata where she received her primary and secondary education under the stewardship of Mother Teresa.

While living in the U.S., she pursued her higher education and enjoyed a professional career in healthcare management.

Willingham has been the past president of the Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley and was the district governor for Rotary District 5240 from 2010 to 2011.

She has been named the Rotarian of the Year, previously and has been honored with many humanitarian awards.

Willingham was also a Women of Action honoree at the White House in 2014 and received a Time Now – Global Amazing Indian award from the Times of India in 2015, according to Rotary 5040’s website.

She has been named as one of three Inspiring Women of Action at the World Bank’s celebration of International Women’s Day in Washington, D.C., in 2016.

In 2010, Willingham founded a nonprofit called PACE Universal, which spearheads programs that fight poverty, injustice and human trafficking through the education of girls and women worldwide; provide adult education, vocational training and micro-loans; and upgrade living conditions through holistic village rehabilitation, according to its website.