Speaker
K. K. Shailaja
Former Minister of Health, Kerala, Vogue India - Woman of the Year 2020
K. K. Shailaja is the former Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala. Shailaja Teacher, as she is fondly known, served for 23 years as a teacher, before she took voluntary retirement and became a full-time leader. She received international attention for her leadership in tackling the Nipah virus outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic in Kerala. In recognition of her efforts, she was invited by the United Nations to participate in a panel discussion on United Nations Public Service Day 2020. She was recognised by Vogue as one of the "Women of the Year 2020." BBC News featured her among a list of Asian women corona fighters. The British magazine Prospect selected her as the world's 'top thinker' of 2020, while Financial Times named Shailaja as one of the world's most influential women of 2020.