Opening a landmark global conversation from Jaipur, Princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar of the House of Mewar, Udaipur, on Friday delivered a deeply moving address at the Global Summit to End Diabetes Stigma, placing dignity, lived experience and empathy at the centre of a growing global movement. The summit is being co-hosted by The Friends of Mewar, an NGO founded by Padmaja herself, reflecting her long-standing commitment to public health advocacy.
Living with Type 1 diabetes since the age of five, Padmaja drew from her four-decade journey to call for a fundamental shift in how diabetes is perceived. “After forty years, we deserve freedom from stigma — anything short of that feels unacceptable,” she said, setting the tone for the summit.
Beginning with a traditional “Khamagani”, she described dignity as “the quiet strength that turns struggle into purpose,” emphasising that diabetes is not just a medical condition but a social reality shaped by perception, silence and misunderstanding. Her words resonated with the global audience as she urged people and institutions to transform awareness into action.
Fresh from receiving the Mary Tyler Moore Award from Breakthrough T1D, Padmaja’s address carried a deeply personal and emotional note. Reflecting on her father’s passing exactly a year ago, she said the recognition felt like “a quiet circle closing” and a reminder of his presence as she continues her journey. “Dignity is not something the world gives us — it’s what we choose to carry,” she said, dedicating her advocacy to him and to every individual living with diabetes.
Her call extended beyond personal experience to collective responsibility. “Stigma ends not in policy alone, but in people — when empathy replaces judgment and knowledge erases fear,” she said, urging open conversations, challenging stereotypes and amplifying unheard voices.
Padmaja also highlighted the work of her organisation The Friends of Mewar, which has been actively working across Rajasthan and beyond to raise awareness on diabetes, tuberculosis and other public health challenges. As co-host of this global summit, Friends of Mewar has played a key role in bringing together global stakeholders while continuing its strong grassroots engagement in communities.
Acknowledging her sustained efforts, Sh. Sunil Kumar, Nodal Officer, Health Department, Government of Rajasthan, said, “Padmaja ji has been consistently contributing towards increasing awareness on diabetes across Rajasthan. Her continued involvement in supporting public health awareness initiatives is commendable and truly impactful.”
The two-day summit, being held at the Jaipur Marriott Hotel, has brought together over 300 delegates from more than 30 countries, including global health practitioners, doctors, researchers, policymakers and advocates, to co-create a global roadmap to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with diabetes.
According to global data shared at the summit, nearly 4 in 5 people living with diabetes experience stigma, while 1 in 3 face discrimination, underlining the urgency of coordinated global action.
Organised under the leadership of the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, with support from global organisations including Breakthrough T1D and the International Diabetes Federation, and with The Friends of Mewar as co-host, the summit marks the first unified global effort dedicated exclusively to ending diabetes stigma.
Closing her address with a call for collective action, Padmaja said, “Let this be our promise — that no one living with diabetes will ever again feel diminished by it,” urging individuals to turn understanding into action and compassion into a movement.
As Jaipur hosts this one-of-its-kind global gathering, the city emerges as a powerful platform where science, advocacy and human stories converge—reinforcing its growing stature in leading conversations that matter at a global level.