 Besides acting in film , Vidya promotes humanitarian causes and supports charitable institutions . In March 2011 , she endorsed World Wildlife Fund 's Earth Hour campaign in India . She campaigned for the cause of nutrition in India for Child In Need Institute ( <unk> ) , a non @-@ profit organisation based in Kolkata . In September 2012 , Vidya visited a village in Mirzapur , Uttar Pradesh , where she participated in a campaign to promote children 's education and the empowerment of women . For her attempts to empower women , Vidya was awarded The Prabha <unk> Puraskar 2012 by the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce ; she was the youngest recipient of the award . Vidya has also been appointed by the Government of India as their brand ambassador in the drive to improve the country 's sanitary condition . In August 2013 , she served as the grand marshal of the India Day parade held in New York City . In September that year , she launched a technology @-@ based learning platform for underprivileged children in the <unk> village of Uttar Pradesh . On the occasion of International Women 's Day in 2015 , Vidya wrote an opinion column in Hindustan Times on the issues faced by women in India . 
