Who knew that the legendary tale of Nangeli was just the beginning and the coastal state of Kerala has many more stories of fierce females who walked away from the herd and trailblazed their way into the history books and continue to do so in the present?
So to all the wonderful women of Kerala, The New Indian Express salutes you!
The media conglomerate launched the Devi Awards over a decade back to honour women who lead the way in the sectors they work in and to the cause they serve. We proudly bring the Devi Awards back to Kochi for the second time. The award ceremony has seen 31 editions across many cities in India, slowly and steadily building our legacy of acknowledging the female forces.
Two-time Olympian Anju Bobby George, actor Bhumi Pednekar, businesswoman Kaviya Maran, scientist Gagandeep Kang, art patron Shalini Passi, media icon Kalli Purie, disability rights activist Preethi Srinivasan and many others — every one of our Devi Awardees has been an inspiration.
The 32nd edition of Devi Awards in Kochi will be held on March 20, 2025, at Taj Vivanta, Marine Drive, Kochi, at 4.30 pm.
A trailblazing entrepreneur and genomics pioneer, Anu Acharya has over two decades of experience in biotechnology. As Founder and CEO of Mapmy-genome, she has championed preventive healthcare in India, offering personalised health sol-tions through at-home DNA and diagnostic genomic tests. Pas-sionate about making genomics accessible and actionable, Anu has leveraged AI and machine learning to deliver comprehensive health insights for longevity.
She holds a Master’s in Physics and Management Information Systems from the University of Illinois, Chicago, a Bachelor’s in Phys-ics from IIT Kharagpur, and has completed executive education at Harvard Kennedy School and the Indian School of Business. Recognised with awards including the WTI Award (Niti Aayog), Pride of Telangana, and Young Global Leader (World Economic Forum), she serves on numerous boards and councils, shaping the future of genomics and biotech innovation globally.
A practicing advocate with over a decade of experience and a recognised expert in animal protection law. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s legal and institutional re-sponse to animal welfare, training and mentoring law enforcement personnel, ju-dicial officers, prosecutor forest officials, and v-erinarians across multiple States. Currently, Shreya serves as Legal Consul-tant to Humane World for Animals India (formerly Humane Society Interna-tional/India) and People for Animals Uttarakhand, while also contributing as a Board Member of the Blue Cross of Hyderabad.
At just 22, Talluri Pallavi from Khammam district has trans-formed a simple idea into an impactful innovation — an AI-powered nutrition assistant that leverages Natural Language Processing (NLP) and computer vision to provide personalised dietary advice. This remarkable achievement was recognised at the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, where she was honoured with the National Award by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A proud daughter of Talluri Ravi Prasad and Talluri Ajitha, Pallavi completed her entire education, from Class 1 through BTech, in Khammam. Driven by a deep interest in emerg-ing technologies, she pursued advanced training at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) under the Central Government in the feld of Artifcial Intelligence Programming Assistant (AIPA). Her dedication and passion paid of when she secured the frst rank nationwide, becoming the All India Trade Topper (AITT) in the AIPA category.
A leading advocate for women’s empowerment, gender justice, and sustainable livelihoods in Andhra Pradesh. As Secretary of SABALA, Saraswathi has devoted her career to advancing the rights of women, particularly in rural communi-ties, and promoting their active engagement in natural resource management and agro-ecological initiatives.
Her contributions have been recognised with prestigious awards, including the Women Exemplar Award from CII Foundation, the Savithri Bhai Phule Visishta Mahila Seva Puraskar, and the Brave Women Award from the Durgabai Deshmukh Center for Women’s Studies – AU. Under her leadership, SABALA has rejuvenated millet cultivation across 1,000 acres in 50 vil-lages, established the Millets Sister Network, and promoted millet inclusion in the Public Distribution System. Her initiatives have created successful millet-based enterprises, enhancing women’s in-comes while improving nutrition and food security.
A distinguished painter and revered fgure in Indian contemporary art. Anjani earned a National Diploma in Painting with distinc-tion from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 1976 and began her academic career a decade later at the University College of Fine Arts, where she served as Professor and Head of the Painting Department until her retirement in 2011. She played a pivotal role in establishing the city’s reputation for fgurative art.
Her works are held in prominent national and international collections, including the Madras Museum of Modern Art, AP Contem-porary Art Museum, Birla Academy of Art & Culture (Kolkata), Tata Industries (Mumbai), Jawahar Kala Kendra (Jaipur), National Lalit Kala Akademi, National Gallery of Modern Art, and Rashtrapati Bhavan. She has participated in numerous national and international group exhibitions and auctions, and held 17 solo exhibitions between 1991 and 2024. Her contributions have earned accolades such as the Ugadi Puraskar, Visishta Mahila Puraskar (Telangana), and the 2023 American Telugu Association Award of Excellence.
A passionate advocate for art and education, Rekha is the Founder of the Krishnakriti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Kalakriti, dedicated to promoting art, culture, and heritage. She also established the Franco-Indian Education Trust in col-laboration with the Government of France, enabling talented Indian students to pursue higher studies in France. At the heart of her leadership is Kalakriti Art Gallery, which she oversees per-sonally, transforming it into one of South Asia’s most respected spaces for artistic expression and cultural dialogue.
A trained classical singer, Rekha is equal-ly passionate about sports and an avid art collector. She has held significant leadership roles including Past Chairperson of YPO South Asia Regional Chapter and Past Chairperson and current Governing Body Member of FICCI FLO.
A cellular biochemist and the head of the Laboratory of Cell Signalling at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnos-tics (CDFD), Hyderabad, a premier research centre supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. She completed her undergraduate studies in Human Biology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and earned her master’s and PhD in Biological Sciences from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Following postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, she joined CDFD as a Group Leader in 2008.
Her research explores how small biochemical molecules regulate cellular and organismal functions and investigates the functional impact of genetic muta-tions underlying inherited disorders. A fellow of both the National Academy of Sciences, India, and the Indian Academy of Sci-ences, Rashna serves on multiple national and international academic committees.
Dr Palukuri Lakshmi, MS, MCh, a distinguished professor and the frst Lady HOD of the Department of Burns, Reconstructive & Plastic Surgery at Osmania Medical College. With over 25 years of government service in plastic surgery, she has been a pioneer in advancing reconstruc-tive care, establishing the frst skin bank in the state at Osmania General Hospital, and pioneering lymphedema surgeries, hair transplantation, cosmetic procedures, and transgender surgeries at the institution.
A national faculty member for multiple medical universities, she is an executive member of APSI and NABI, Vice President of APRAS (AP & Telangana), and the founder of Plastiquest and Plastiquest Challenge, ofering free online teaching and competitions for plastic surgery trainees. Dr Lakshmi has introduced innovative classifcations for upper-limb electrical burns, conducted large-scale ear cartilage workshops, and received numerous ac-colades, including the Kilner Essay Award and the Bharat Ka Unmol Award.
Elahe Hiptoola is a visionary cultural entrepre-neur, flm producer, and advocate for the arts. A lawyer by training, she opened Hyderabad’s first fashion store, ‘Elahe’, in 1993, featurin iconic designers like Abu Jani/Sandeep Khosla, Tarun Tahiliani, and Rohit Khosla. In 2010, she founded Lamakaan, an inclusive cultural hub that champions arts, literature, theatre, and dialogue, making creativity accessible to all.
Elahe has produced flms since 1998, collaborating with director Nagesh Kukunoor on cult classics like Hyderabad Blues, Iqbal (National Award, 2006), Dor, and Lakshmi, which won Best Feature at Palm Springs and screened at the White House. Her flm Dhanak earned 18 inter-national awards, including honors at the Berlin Film Festival.
Born in 1993 in Gooty, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, she is an acclaimed Indian classical, spiritual, traditional, and folk artist. Hailing from the Banjara community, she rose to prominence through sheer grit and determination, becoming a celebrated voice in Indian music.
Recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from Sangeet Natak Akademi and multiple awards including Best Playback Singer – Female at SIIMA 2023, IIFA, and GAMA 2025, she has enthralled audiences worldwide. Notable perfor-mances include Bathukamma at Times Square, New York, Mysuru Dussehra, and Isha Mahashivaratri, as well as international tours across the USA and Malay-sia. Mangli has also judged Telugu reality shows like Super Singer.
A gold medalist from NIFT, Mrunalini chose design over medicine, honing her skills at lead-ing fashion houses before launch-ing her eponymous label. Founded in 2014, Mrunalini Rao is a Hyderabad-based luxury label that celebrates craftsmanship, heritage, and timeless elegance. Known for its lustrous silks, intricate embroi-dery, and dramatic silhouettes, the brand embodies a philosophy of slow fashion, creating heirlooms that transcend trends.
Alongside the couture line, sister label Urī Living ofers versatile, everyday wear rooted in mindful design. With fagship stores in Hyderabad and Delhi, the brand’s spaces refect its essence, where tradition meets modernity and every detail tells a story. Showcased at leading fash-ion weeks and global platforms, Mrunalini Rao continues to craft timeless creations that embody artistry, emotion, and a sense of home.
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