HYDERABAD: The applause at ITC Kakatiya on Friday celebrated women whose work often goes unnoticed. For their families watching from the audience, the the 41st edition of The New Indian Express’s Devi Awards was a moment of pride, as years of hard work and perseverance received recognition.
As the awardees stepped forward, the pride extended well beyond the stage. For their families, who had witnessed the demands of their work and stood by them through the difficult stretches, the moment carried a significance that went beyond the award itself.
For P Anuradha Reddy, a historian and heritage activist, the honour recognised decades of documenting, restoring and preserving Hyderabad’s heritage.
For the family of a GHMC awardee, the recognition brought attention to the less visible side of achievement.. Her daughter spoke of the long nights and private doubts that had accompanied the work. Seeing her mother honoured made those difficult moments feel worthwhile — a reminder of how much can lie behind work that others may take for granted.
Durgeshwari, another awardee, was all smiles as she spoke about what the honour meant to her. “I am doing a small job, but being recognised by TNIE and being given an award brings me immense happiness,” she said.
The appreciation she received from senior officials also encouraged her to continue. “When our Medical Officer or SP sir acknowledges our efforts when we do good work, it motivates us to do even more. I am so, so happy.”
The awardees came from varied fields: a linewoman who climbs poles to keep the lights on, an educator working with children who beg on the streets, a doctor, an architect, an actor and producer, an entrepreneur, a fashion designer, a vocalist and a historian. Their journeys differed, but each had put years of work into efforts that did not always bring immediate recognition.
After the ceremony, the families gathered around the women they had come to celebrate. The evening belonged to the awardees, but the pride was shared by those who had encouraged them, witnessed their struggles and waited for their efforts to be acknowledged.
Sania Tabassum
