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.
Poornima Indrajith is an actor, style icon, entrepreneur and fashion designer. Already well-known in the Malayalam film industry and Bollywood, Poornima is positively impacting the fashion world too. She started her couture label Pranaah in 2013, which has gained widespread recognition for redefining and modernizing Kerala handloom and weaves to the world. As someone deeply committed to sustainability and economic empowerment, she's a strong advocate of ethical fashion.
A trained dancer and an accomplished singer, Sreekumari Ramachandran is a bilingual writer. She has an impressive repertoire of 40 books on diverse subjects. Notably, her English translation of the iconic Malayalam work 'Aithihyamaala', garnered her international recognition as a translator. She has worked with the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy and is the founder-president of the Kerala Chapter of the Indian Society of Authors. She has also worked with All India Radio and Doordarshan.
A heritage conservation architect from SPA New Delhi, Swathy played a pivotal role along with the INTACH Bengaluru Chapter team in crafting the UNESCO World Heritage Site dossier on 'The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas’, which marked India's 42nd Inscription on the World Heritage list. She has made significant contributions to the INTACH Bengaluru chapter, restoring diverse historic public institutions in Bengaluru like Fort High School, colonial railway stations, Chamaraja Memorial Hall, Vani Vilas Women's PU College, and many others.
Savita Rajan, a post-graduate in Architectural Conservation from SPA, Delhi, has a rich background in architectural conservation, building restoration, residential architecture, and interior design. She has worked on significant projects like the Conservation Management Plan of Rashtrapati Bhavan and President Estate buildings. She also collaborated with the Indian Army Aviation unit on projects such as the helicopter memorial in Kashmir. Savita contributes expertise to Finemake Technologies backed by Pidilite Industries and is currently based in Bengaluru.
Ritu Sara Thomas, is a conservation architect, holding an MArch in Architectural Conservation from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi and BArch from National Institute of Technology, Calicut with top honours. She has worked in conservation projects including Restoration of British Residency, Hyderabad (with GN Heritage Matters); Muziris Heritage Project, Kerala; and Glyngarth Villa, Ooty under Mr. Benny Kuriakose (Vedika, Chennai), and Khadi Village Development Project (with CLDL). She currently works as Assistant Professor in College of Architecture, Trivandrum.
Hailing from a small village in Kozhikode, Latha’s journey to culinary stardom is as inspiring as her flavours. With a degree in Hotel Management, she has honed her craft in renowned restaurants and hotels across India and beyond. Now a celebrated chef in Kerala, she brings authenticity to every dish by grinding her own spices, a testament to her dedication to tradition and taste. As the Masterchef at Malabar Cafe, Grand Hyatt Kochi, she continues to redefine Kerala cuisine with her passion, rigour, and innovation.
After serving as a teacher and then Principal at Chinmaya Vidyalaya Vaduthala, Maya Mohan founded Tattwa Centre of Learning in 2016. Designed as a micro-school, Tattwa is focused on personalised education and skill development. Maya Mohan has won multiple awards, including the National Award for Best Teacher.
Rev Sister Roselin has been helping the mentally ill who have been isolated by society. After coming face to face with their hardships and suffering while working at various mental health centres and the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, she set up the Snehatheeram Charitable Society in September 2002 to rehabilitate the mentally ill by providing them with a home, proper medical treatment and loving care.
Sudha Chandran first came to Thattekkad as a young bride frightened of the surrounding dense dark forest. But now, 54 years later, she takes visitors deep into the forest giving detailed accounts of the fauna in the sanctuary. Being a cancer survivor, and having to face challenges after the death of her husband 36 years ago, she overcame her fears to become the first woman forest guide in the state, winning many awards including the Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award 2023.
V.P. Suhara is a renowned social activist and writer who has dedicated nearly five decades to battling for women's rights, particularly the empowerment of Muslim women in Kerala. She is the founder of NISA, a progressive women’s organization established in 1997, which has played a crucial role in addressing issues of gender justice, inheritance rights, and equality under Muslim personal law. As an author, her writing reflects her deep commitment to social reform and provides a voice for countless women facing systemic oppression.
After years of mastering vehicles of all kinds, from taxis to tipper lorries and off-road jeeps, P G Deepamol made history in 2023 as Kerala’s first woman ambulance driver. When her husband fell ill, she turned to professional driving to support her family. Despite financial struggles, she kept at her passion, even completing a solo bike journey from Kottayam to Ladakh in 2021. Now, as an ambulance driver, Deepamol is saving lives, tackling high-pressure situations with composure, and ensuring patients reach hospitals swiftly and safely.
Rising cricket star V J Joshitha etched her name in history as the first woman from Kerala in an Under-19 World Cup winning team. Hailing from a small village in Kalpetta, Joshitha’s cricketing career began early when she was selected for the Kerala Cricket Association's Krishnagiri Cricket Academy while studying in Class 6. Her standout performances in the 2024 ICC Women’s Under-19 Asia Cup earned her a place in India’s World Cup squad, where she played a crucial role in securing the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Usha P K, also known as Usha Nangiar, is a prominent traditional dancer. Born into the Kuzhupilli Nambiar family of Mizhavu performers, she specialised in Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu and was trained by Ammannur Madhava Chakyar and Ammannur Kuttan Chakyar. Being an exponent of Koodiyattam, in the last four decades, she has performed in India and across the world in various stage shows and has conducted workshops and seminars.
Sheela Kochouseph launched VStar Creations in 1995. She started with readymade and ready-to-stitch ethnic wear and then introduced lifestyle apparel and innerwear. VStar employs more than 1200 employees and has a significant presence in South India and the Middle East. Sheela has won several awards and accolades for her stellar contribution in various fields including the Women Entrepreneur Award by TiE Kerala and the Lions Club International among others. She was the Founder President of Women Entrepreneurs Network (WEN), an association exclusively for women entrepreneurs.
Rejitha is a highly-skilled CRMG crane operator at Vizhinjam Port and she's part of a 9-member team of women operating these massive cranes that are indispensable to container management at sea ports. The team has set a shining example of women empowerment and this is the first time in India that women are taking control of automated CRMG cranes.
Express Building, 3rd Floor
9-10, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg
New Delhi-110002
Phone: +91 11 23705701-05
