The first woman graduate in India was from Kolkata. So was the first female doctor. Even the first woman scientist to receive a DSc was from this city. A few of the most significant reforms such as widow remarriage, banning of Sati apart from women's education that would form an integral part of any women's manifesto also originated from this state. This year the Devi Awards instituted by The New Indian Express returns to this city that has held aloft the flag of women's emancipation over the past two centuries.
To be held at ITC Sonar on July 29, the prestigious awards ceremony will see 15 women from very diverse fields of professions being felicitated. And this year former union cabinet minister Dr Subramanian Swamy will be the chief guest of honour who will be giving away the awards.
“We are delighted to bring the most credible Devi awards back to the city of the goddess. We have an extraordinary list of women achievers this time who span the spectrum from machine learning to pulmonology, sport to cinema, design to dance. This is our 21st edition and Kolkata's Devis will be a great addition to an already remarkable group of over 250 Devis,” 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 of entrepreneurship, film, fashion, dance, culture and fitness were felicitated. The awardees included social entrepreneur Madhu Neotia, filmmaker Pritha Chakraborty, fashion designers Laldinsangi, Lalsangzeli, Lalrinpuii, educator Parmita Sarma, danseuse Alokananda Roy, designer Sujata Chatterjee, fitness entrepreneur Ritu Agarwal, Green crusader Temsutula Imsong and ONganic Foods founder Ekta Jaju. The event was well-attended by Kolkata’s crème de la crème including RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka and his wife Preeti Goenka, industrialist Harshvardhan Neotia, CK Dhanuka, artist Shuvaprasanna, National Award-winning director Srijit Mukherji, filmmaker Subhrajit Mitra, and actor-MP Nusrat Jahan among others.
This year, too, the 21st edition of Devi Awards will felicitate an even diverse collection of women achievers from Kolkata who have left their mark in medicine, science, sports, history, literature, dance, fashion, social work, environment, and cinema.
Like last year, the glittering event’s platinum partner is RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group. The associate partners include Senco Gold and Diamonds, National Jute Board, Softline by Rupa & Company, Placid Ltd, Pentonic Brands Linc Ltd and the outdoor partner is Selvel One.
Devi Awards will be held on July 29, 4 pm onwards at ITC Sonar.
(This story originally appeared on indulgeexpress.com)