The 29th Devi Awards, Bengaluru, November 30, 2024: And the Devis dazzled!

The Devi Awards entered its tenth year and returned to Bengaluru after a short hiatus. The event that unfurled last Saturday (November 30) paid tribute to 12 trailblazers from different fields who have made and impact and transcended boundaries. The inspiring evening was only made more special by the amazing audience that turned up to celebrate these Devis, ensuring the claps and cheers resonated all across the city. With presenting partner — Adani; powered by Kauvery Hospital Bengaluru; associate partners — Government of Karnataka — Department of Women and Child Development, KMF Nandini & KAPPEC; supporting partner Cauvery Handicrafts; celebration partner Radico and gifting partner Ahujasons, Indulge caught up with each of the winners to find out what they had to say.

Arundhati Nag, founder & managing trustee, Sanket Trust

“I am very happy to have received this Devi Award. I guess one has reached that point of time in life where another award reaffirms that maybe we have been doing something right and also that the whole community is with us. So, over 50 years of work has gone into getting recognised like this. I am grateful to the New Indian Express group for having done this. It was wonderful to see a lot of very deserving people receiving the award alongside me. I share the glory with all of them.”

Kavita Gupta Sabharwal, founder & managing trustee, Neev Schools

“Seventy percent of our workforce is women and as I was sitting there and looking at all the work of all of these other Devis, I feel like it reminded me of the initial reason why I started Neev — to meet the needs of working women and it (Devi Awards) just  makes me want to commit to that vision all over again and do more than what I am doing right now. I am very thrilled to have been one of the recipient of the awards.”

Nirupama Rajendra, classical dancer

“I am so grateful to the New Indian Express for instituting this award. Nothing happens without power, nothing happens without love and Devi is a representation of love and power and I am so happy that classical dance has been considered. We, as dancers, are trying our best to bring in hope, to empower other people, other women and other children. These kinds of awards give us an assurance that we are all (heading) in the right direction and we are being recognised for this! This award is not just for me but for the whole classical dance world.”

Alina Alam, activist

“I started Mitti Café during my college days with the dream of showing the world the magic of abilities. We are the largest chain of cafés in the world to be completely managed by persons with physical, intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. Our journey started from a small table and an umbrella. I realised the potential of the community to grow exponentially. It gives me and the entire team so much joy and pride that we received the Devi Award. For me, I feel this is a very powerful award, a very powerful platform to really create awareness about disability inclusion.”

Sonali Sattar, restaurateur

“I’m just truly grateful and honoured! I can’t believe that I’m sitting here and this is happening. I run a little restaurant and a clothes business, both small. I just do what I do to the best of my capability with a lot of heart and integrity and that is being recognised now as we’re not doing it with any ulterior motive. There’s no marketing involved. There’s no craving for any recognition or anything. It’s wonderful that this recognition is happening now. So, thank you again!”

Anju Bobby George, two-time Olympian

“Like everybody, I too am extremely happy to receive such a prestigious award. This time it’s come to Bengaluru. Whenever an award or some form of recognition comes my way, it’s an add-on in the form of pressure, but this pressure is what motivates me to perform better and build better on an already existing strong base that we have established. This award is given to various well-established women in our country, therefore receiving it, especially after retiring from sports, I hope pushes me beyond my expectations and capacity because I am supporting youngsters through my academy.”

Vatsala Thirumalai, professor & dean, National Centre for Biological Sciences

“I am honoured and privileged to be named as one of the Bengaluru Devi Awards winners. Science is a team effort and although I am here by myself, there is a large team behind me which made this possible. A devi to me is someone who is a symbol of strength, someone who is a symbol of resilience and someone who represents goodness in lots of people. I take great responsibility in trying to make sure that I become the voice of not just myself, but many women scientists like me who brave all sorts of odds stacked against them to reach where they want to be.”

Jahnavi Phalkey, founding director, Science Gallery Bengaluru

“This is a big surprise and it’s a privilege to be recognised for my work alongside some incredible women in the city, many of whom have helped me in this journey over the last few years as I’ve built a new institution for the city. I hope that Science Gallery Bengaluru grows from strength to strength in Bengaluru, does fabulous things for young women but also more largely for the kind of work that the New Indian Express wants to do  — brings facts into the public domain and create more room for discussion, so that we start having a cultural conversation around research and science.”

Dr Pratima Murthy, director, NIMHANS

“It is wonderful that the New Indian Express, over the years, has been instituting the Devi Awards for women who have excelled in so many different fields. It was very humbling to see the kind of work that is being recognised at this awards ceremony spanning so many different walks of life. I think this is very important because it gives people, particularly women, inspiration to do more for society. I think, it’s a recognition of the entire space of mental health, where I work. Mental health is very often neglected and stigmatised.”

Samhita Arni, author

“I love the name of the award because it gives the sense of energy and shakti, which I feel we deeply need in these times. I’m really grateful to have gotten this award and really grateful that these awards exist. I also got hear of and know about the work of other women whose contributions might not be so well known. I think, the award has made me reflect more deeply on my own work and how to amplify it. I think to have been given an award is also about being given the trust and it has given a greater sense of meaning and purpose to my work.”

Pavitra Muddaya, co-founder, Vimor

“In all my 50 years of practice in design, I always include women who are non-weavers because that’s the only way to look at livelihood with dignity, which is very dear to me. I use handloom textiles to create this livelihood and in India, we’ve got a lot of unemployed hands whom we could train and bring along. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than when I am with my weavers and when I’m teaching or supporting them to move forward, because then I can celebrate my journey and theirs too. It’s a collaboration that has worked and I’m grateful for being given this opportunity. I dedicate this award to all the handloom weavers in the country.”

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