Devi Awards 2024 is back in Kolkata to salute women achievers

After great success and appreciation in 2019, 2022, and 2023, the much-coveted Devi Awards instituted by The New Indian Express is back in Kolkata for the fourth time, to honour the truly accomplished women of the city. The city that has held aloft the flag of women’s emancipation over the past two centuries, has never stopped churning out talented women of great ability, who have achieved success in their chosen fields of expertise.

Devi Awards has chosen such outstanding and talented women across professions this year too. To be held at ITC Royal Bengal on August 16, the prestigious awards ceremony will see 13 women from diverse professions felicitated. This year, former Union Minister Smriti Irani, will be the chief guest of honour who will be giving away the awards.

“We are delighted to announce the return of the Devi Awards to the City of the Goddess. It is the 27th edition of the awards, and we have chosen an eclectic mix of extraordinary women to celebrate the shakti, spirit and serenity of the city. Our women achievers span the spectrum from fashion and cinema to social work and dance. To all of them, my deepest congratulations, and may they climb many more mountains,” says Prabhu Chawla, editorial director, The New Indian Express, and The Sunday Standard.

The Devi Awards ceremony was held in Kolkata for the first time on August 31, 2019. Nine women from diverse fields, including social entrepreneur Madhu Neotia, filmmaker Pritha Chakraborty, fashion designers Laldinsangi, Lalsangzeli, Lalrinpuii, educator Parmita Sarma, and danseuse Alokananda Roy were felicitated. 2022 saw an even more diverse collection of 15 women achievers from Kolkata including cricketer Jhulan Goswami, pulmonologist Dr Sushmita Roychowdhury, historian Tapati Guha- Thakurta, scientist Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay, actor Swastika Mukherjee, filmmaker Nandita Roy, and entrepreneur Richa Agarwal.

Last year, the event saw 12 women achievers from Kolkata including actors Jaya Ahsan, Paoli Dam, Churni Ganguly, designer Rimi Nayak, restaurateur Saloni Jhunjhunwala, entrepreneur Shivika Goenka, and heritage conservationist Nilina Deb Lal, among others, felicitated.

This time, the event which is set to be held on August 16, will see the felicitation of 13 women achievers from Kolkata. Adani Group is the presenting partner of the glittering event this year. The associate partners are Senco Gold and Diamonds, and Life Insurance Corporation of India. The celebration partner is Radico Khaitan, and the gifting partners are Ahujasons and Auli Active Ayurveda. The outdoor partner for the event is Selvel One.