Meet the finalists of the ACT Women’s Awards 2026: Kamala Sharma-Wing
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From transforming healthcare and improving women’s safety to opening doors in construction, automotive and sport, 11 remarkable women and gender-diverse people have been named finalists in the 2026 ACT Women’s Awards.
In the lead-up to the 2026 ACT Women’s Awards ceremony on Thursday 3 September, we wanted to get to know each of the finalists a little better. Today we meet Kamala Sharma-Wing, recognised for advancing inclusion and diversity as the Australian Defence Force’s first full-time Hindu chaplain.
Congratulations on being named a finalist in the 2026 ACT Women’s Awards! How did you feel when you found out?
I was honestly shocked! I didn’t even know these kinds of awards existed. I remember thinking, “Really? Me?” I felt so honoured just to be nominated, so becoming a finalist was the icing on the cake.
Then, after a few days, another feeling crept in. I thought, “Oh dear… now I’ve got a responsibility!” That’s pretty normal for me. Fear usually turns up whenever something meaningful happens in my life. Over the years, I’ve learned not to let fear make my decisions. Instead, I say yes, ride the fear anyway and see where the journey takes me. So now I’m simply enjoying the experience and feeling incredibly grateful.
In a nutshell, tell us about the work or initiative that led to your nomination.
I think I got nominated because my life has gone in directions I never imagined. If someone had told the young Kamala that one day she’d spend 31 years in the Navy, become Australia’s first full-time Hindu Chaplain in the Australian Defence Force, and one of the few ordained Hindu priestesses (Pandita) in Australia, I would have laughed.
Today I have the privilege of serving those who serve Australia. Every day I support Defence members and their families, regardless of their faith, worldview or none. I love sitting down with people, listening to their stories and sharing practical tools through conversations, pastoral and spiritual counselling, wisdom of the east, yoga, meditation and wellbeing workshops, to help them navigate the rough seas of modern life.
I love talking about integration because I lived it. For a long time, I wondered whether I was Nepalese or Australian. Eventually I realised I didn’t have to choose. I could be both. I also hope my journey gives people the confidence to take on careers they may never have thought were possible. If someone walks away thinking, “Maybe I can do that too,” then I think I’ve done something worthwhile.
Looking back, was there a particular moment, challenge or experience that set you on this path?
As a teenager, I had moved from Nepal to Australia with my family, I was lost. I kept asking myself, “Who am I?” I repeated Year 12 and struggled at university. Like many Asian parents, mine hoped I would become a doctor, but I was struggling with the basics and honestly thought I wasn’t good at anything.
Then one day I walked into a Navy Careers office looking for information for my brother. I saw the words, “Join the Navy and sail the seven seas,” and my imagination took off. Before I knew it, I had joined instead.
Looking back, joining the Navy changed my life. It gave me purpose, confidence and a place where I felt I belonged. As young recruits, we learnt to face our many fears collectively. Doing that together gave me the confidence to face future fears on my own throughout my career, and even today. Once we put on the uniform, we were simply one team. I had found my people.
What achievement are you most proud of – and why?
If I’m being completely honest, my greatest achievement is our two children.
Professionally, I’m proud that I generally don’t let fear have the final say. I’ve been scared through most of my life, but I chose to take the first step anyway without focusing too much on the outcome. That has allowed me to take on roles rarely held by women of South Asian heritage.
But I am most proud of the way I have integrated and served Australia. For a long time, I felt like I had one foot in two different canoes, one Nepalese and one Australian. People often say you’ll eventually have to choose one or you’ll sink, but I couldn’t choose. So, slowly, I put one plank after another and built myself a raft. Today, my raft is stronger than either canoe on its own and has allowed me to serve Australia, give back to the country that welcomed us so warmly 41 years ago
Is there a woman, mentor or role model who has inspired your journey?
I know the question asks about a woman, but I’d be doing a disservice if I didn’t start with my dad. He was the first person who told me, “You’re just as good as the boys. Never let being a girl become your barrier.” That has stayed with me ever since.
But the person who has had the biggest influence on my journey is my husband, Grant. We met at Recruit School in 1995, and for the past 31 years, he has believed in me, especially during the times I didn’t believe in myself. Whenever I doubted myself, he’d simply say, “You can do it. Don’t overthink it. Just go for it.” Looking back, I honestly don’t think I’d be here without his quiet, unwavering support.
My daughter has also been one of my greatest teachers. Wanting to be the best mum I could be made me a better person. Looking back now, I don’t think she realised she was helping train a chaplain.
What does being recognised as an ACT Women’s Awards finalist mean to you?
At first, it simply made me happy. Then the self-doubt arrived! I started wondering, “Can I really live up to this?” But then I had a good chat with myself and realised that fear is there before every significant step in my life.
I’ve walked a difficult path many times, and I know what it’s feels like to feel lost, to wonder if you’re good enough, to fail, to question where you belong, to balance motherhood with a career, and to step into roles rarely held by South Asian women. If sharing my journey makes that path just a little easier for someone else to walk, and opens more opportunities to talk about integration while staying true to who you are, then that’s a real privilege.
