Washington, DC: A tulip in the Netherlands has been named after Indian-American diplomat Shefali Razdan Duggal, the US Ambassador to the country, for advocating for gender equity, as it celebrated International Women’s Day. Tulipa Shefali comes from Maveridge International’s breeding program in St. Maarten and grew out of a years-long project for strong and healthy tulips, a media release said.
Razdan is the first Ambassador from any country to have a tulip named. The other 12 American women who have had tulips named after them are First Ladies Frances Cleveland, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Dr. Jill Biden. Other women are Audrey Hepburn, Joan Woodward, Maggie Daly, London Breed, Arevela Schuller and Madalyn Murray O’Hair.
“It is a genuine and surreal honor to be included amongst such a remarkable group of individuals who have received this recognition. The tulip is a beautiful flower which has been cherished and loved for centuries and so positively represents the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” Razdan Duggal, 52, said.
“As the first Ambassador to receive the high honor of having a tulip named after me, it is so befitting to unveil the “Shefali Tulip” today, on International Women’s Day,” she said, referring to the celebrations held on February 8.
“Throughout history, women have been forced to overcome gender bias and discrimination, and we have worked hard and continue to work hard to each milestone. We do this for ourselves and for future generations of women to be seen, to be heard, to be included and to be empowered,” Razdan Duggal said.
Tulip breeding is a long-term endeavor. Accordingly, the origin of the Shefali tulip dates to 2009. One of the crosses in the project was Tulipa Lucky Strike with a strong cutting tulip, a media release said.
Duggal is an advocate for inclusive women’s rights and is an “International Gender Champion,” the media release said.
