Devi Awards 2026: Ten trailblazing Devis honoured in Bhubaneswar for transforming society

The 40th edition of The Devi Awards took place last Sunday at Hotel Mayfair, Bhubaneswar. The event brought together the who’s who of the city to celebrate 10 Devis who were awarded for their contributions from fields as diverse as dance and pearl farming to security and science. The chief guest of the event was Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, Pravati Parida who said, “The Devi Awards celebrate the modern expression of shakti — women who create, lead and transform society. We worship shakti in our temples and revere the strength of women in our traditions. Tonight, we celebrate shakti in its most powerful modern form.

Pravati, who is also the Minister for Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti, said that society must create an environment that provides women with opportunities, resources and freedom to exercise their potential. “We want our daughters to become entrepreneurs. We want women to lead enterprises and embrace technology and innovation. We want greater participation of women in governance and decision-making at every level,” she added. The event also saw dignitaries from The New Indian Express Group, including TNIE Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla and Group CEO, Lakshmi Menon.

With Adani as Presenting Partner, Radico Spirit of Excellence as Celebration Partner and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) , Vedanta Aluminium and Paradip Port Authority as Associate Partners, the 40th edition was an evening of extraordinary stories, remarkable achievements and well-deserved applause. Here, in no particular order, are the reactions from the Devis who were honoured at the 40th edition of The Devi Awards:

“The honour will encourage me to continue working towards protecting nature and inspiring collective action. The more support we get, the more progress we achieve in conserving mangrove and other plants. As women, we can play an important role in addressing environmental challenges.”

“The recognition will give me an opportunity to continue using my art to speak about issues affecting society. I feel I have a responsibility towards our society and dance is the only language I know to express myself. As a woman, I am a human first and we all have the right to live as humans.”

“This honour marks a journey shaped by the transformative power of theatre. When I started doing theatre, I realised that this platform is a human-producing factory. Theatre taught me to take leadership and remains an integral part of my life.”

“This honour will encourage me to continue nurturing pattachitra and empowering young girls. I love to paint pattachitra and I teach girls to paint. I want to continue this work and encourage more girls to learn and practise this traditional art form.”

“I started my career with the Odisha Civil Service. I then started pearl farming and became an entrepreneur. My journey has now expanded into creating opportunities for others. We providing a platform for other pearl growers. This award recognises my efforts.”

“This honour will encourage me to ensure that my work extends beyond textbooks and ultimately serves society. I believe we should strive to excel in whatever we do. Everything should be for society. I shouldn’t be buried in textbooks; I should do something for society. I would also like to tell all young women to strive to excel in whatever they do.”

“This Devi Award represents the fulfilment of a dream for me. Eastern India and Odisha are not lesser than any other part of the world. We can do it and if I can do it, all girls can do it. I only dreamt of getting this award and today that has come true.”

“This recognition brings with it a responsibility to continue addressing social inequalities. When we talk of crime against women, it’s primarily a particular patriarchy that we need to address. As a woman, I would like to request all women to take care of other women around them in their journey.”

“This award is a celebration of ability rather than limitation. I used to participate at the national level with general people because I don’t consider myself a para-athlete. We are players and we are not weak. I would like to urge all para-athletes to see themselves beyond labels and take pride in representing the country.”

“This award recognises my journey in which writing has always transcended gender. A writer is not a man or a woman, they are just writers. Writing may be a solitary profession, but it is deeply personal to me.”