YOUNG indigenous leader Tania Major has found herself in the ranks of former American president Bill Clinton and former US vice-president and climate change crusader Al Gore.

Ms Major has been honoured at the Junior Chamber International’s Outstanding Young Persons of the World awards in India, taking out the political, legal and/or government affairs section.

The JCI has previously recognised president Clinton and Mr Gore.

But it’s a national accolade at the YEN Young Woman of the Year Awards that has really got the 27-year-old excited.

"The international award is fantastic but it’s the YEN award that I’m really excited about because young women voted for me and it shows that indigenous and non-indigenous women support my vision," she said.

"I grew up in a remote indigenous community (Kowanyama) and I dream people born in these communities will no longer face a life of disadvantage."

The latest accolades follow a string of recent awards for Ms Major. In 2006, she won the Queensland Young Australian of the Year, followed by the Young Australian of the Year and the Young Leader of the Year at the Deadly Awards in 2007.

And while the recent success has put pressure on Ms Major to remain a high achiever it has done nothing to bend her commitment to continue working for and with the community.

"There is pressure on me, the weight I carry on my shoulders is pretty heavy but I just take it as it comes," she said. "It’s my role."

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