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Activist Nandana Sen honored at Cannes for humanitarian advocacy
Sen grew up in India, England and America, and has acted in more than 20 feature films across three continents and in multiple languages.
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Staff Reporter - Mon, 25, May 2026
- 04:29 EDT
- 38
Nandana Dev Sen / Wikimedia commons
Indian-origin actor, writer and child-rights activist Nandana Dev Sen has won Better World Fund's Best Achievement Award for Humanitarian Advocacy at the BWF award ceremony and gala on May 18, 2026, during the 79th Cannes Film Festival at Copal Beach in France.
Sen, who is the daughter of Nobel laureate and Bharat Ratna economist Amartya Sen and Padma Shri awardee Nabanita Dev Sen, was recognized for her long-standing humanitarian efforts in child-rights and women's-rights advocacy.
Expressing gratitude for the award, Sen said on X, "Thank you, Better World Fund, for the Best Achievement Award for Humanitarian Advocacy."
She continued, "I'm glad to have the opportunity to use this prestigious stage at Cannes to highlight the urgent work of the Women's Refugee Commission."
Attending the celebration, Sen also praised BWF for supporting the Women's Refugee Commission, and said on social media, "I'm delighted that this year's Gala for Humanity at Cannes is highlighting the Women's Refugee Commission, and grateful to BWF — especially Manuel Collas de la Roche — for warmly offering to raise much-needed funds for the WRC."
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Sen is one of the 15 directors of the organization, along with Indian American entrepreneur Devjani Dev.
Sen has worked as a literary editor, a screenwriter, a poetry translator, a child-protection advocate and as Princess Jasmine at Disneyland over the years.
She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University, where she won the Detur Book Prize, as well as the John Harvard Scholarship and Elizabeth Agassiz Award, and studied filmmaking at the USC School of Cinema-Television.
Sen grew up in India, England and America, and has acted in more than 20 feature films across three continents and in multiple languages.
She is artist ambassador for Save the Children India, author advocate for girls' education for Room to Read, and a director of the Women's Refugee Commission in New York, where she chairs the Program and Advocacy Committee.
She is also the author of six children's books translated into more than 15 languages globally.
Better World Fund is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting sustainability, humanitarian causes, women's empowerment and cultural diplomacy through global events, partnerships and social impact initiatives.
Known for organizing high-profile forums alongside international gatherings such as the Cannes Film Festival, the organization brings together leaders from business, entertainment, policy and philanthropy to discuss global challenges and solutions.
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