CELEBRATING THE DEVIS OF EXCELLENCE

TWELVE trailblazing women from a serial entrepreneur to a handloom revivalist to an Olympian to an inclusive activist who have made an impact and transcended boundaries, were bestowed with the prestigious Devi Awards by The New Indian Express, at the 29th edition of the awards ceremony here on Saturday evening.

After nine years, the Devi Awards event was back in Bengaluru to celebrate the accomplishments of the distinguished women at a gala event graced by the glitterati.

The awardees were two-time Olympian Anju Bobby George; theatre exponent Arundhati Nag who founded the popular Rangashankara; Nimhans Director Dr Pratima Murthy; serial entrepreneur Meena Ganesh; author Samhita Arni; founder of Mitti Cafe Alina Alam; educationist Kavita Gupta Sabharwal; handloom revivalist Pavithra Muddaya; founding director of Science Gallery Bengaluru Jahnavi Phalkey; classical dancer Nirupama Rajendra; researcher Dr Vatsala Thirumalai and designer Sonali Sattar, who started Grasshopper.

The Devi Awards were instituted in New Delhi in December 2014, and has since paid tribute to about 300 women achievers from across the country in the preceding 28 editions.

Co-founder and former CEO and MD of IT giant Infosys SD Shibulal, who presented the awards, was all praise for The New Indian Express Group.

"I am particularly happy to share this stage with The New Indian Express Group, an organisation that has consistently amplified the voices of trailblazing women across India," he said.