Many students walk into college unsure of their voice, hesitant about their abilities, and carrying more self-doubt than certainty. Over the years, the institution quietly builds a reputation for doing the opposite, shaping that uncertainty into confidence and transforming potential into achievement. On Thursday evening, that journey was celebrated at the 8th edition of the MOP Yuva Sammaan Awards held at MOP Vaishnav College for Women.
Instituted during the college’s Silver Jubilee year, the annual awards recognise women between 20 and 35 who have made significant strides in various fields. This year, the panel of juries included Lakshmi Menon, CEO of The New Indian Express, Hitesh Kanodia, member of the college board, Suchitra Balasubramaniam, classical artiste, and Meghanatha Reddy, member secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. This year’s ceremony was presided over by actor and producer Simran.
The evening honoured Bhavya Sachdeva, international swimmer, Asian medallist and national champion (Sports); Ranjani K Vivek, founder of Playtoddz Montessori (Entrepreneurship); Lekha Prasad, classical dancer and teacher at Shri Silambam Academy of Fine Arts (Performing Arts); and R Vaishali, Arjuna Awardee and Chess Grandmaster, Junior Officer Grade III, TIIC (Special Recognition) with a citation and a ash prize of Rs 1 lakh each.
Lekha described the award as deeply humbling. Offering advice to fellow Bharatanatyam practitioners, she added, “Continue to do what you are doing; your hard work and dedication will definitely pay off, so just keep going.”
Ranjani admitted the recognition felt surreal. “It is such an honour and it feels very surreal,” she shared. To aspiring women entrepreneurs, her message was clear: “Just jump into it, try, let’s see how it goes, put all your heart into it, put your hard work into it, keep working, and it will go well, be honest, be ethical, it will go well.”
Delivering a reflective address, Simran said, “I have always chased goals with inspiration, no desperation. I always believed in myself. I just kept moving forward.” She reminded the audience that “there is no alternative to hard work at all”. Urging young women to protect their peace, she concluded, “If you can dream something, it means you can do it.”
As applause filled the auditorium, the evening stood as a reminder of what the college strives to do, nurture belief where there was once hesitation, and celebrate women who turn that belief into impact.