Women empowerment: Justice R. N. Manjula (fourth from left) of the Madras High Court and Nirmala Lakshman (fifth from left), Chairperson of The Hindu Group, with the recipients of The Hindu World of Women 2025 awards in Chennai on Friday.
| Photo Credit: M. VEDHAN

Women’s appearance in public spaces, which was once considered secondary, has become more significant and inevitable today, said Justice R.N. Manjula of the Madras High Court. “However, there are some lingering challenges. As the empowerment of women is an ongoing journey, women are still compelled to be in ambivalent social settings. They are expected to fit into some kind of socio-cultural mould and at the same time, achieve excellence. This demands women to work harder in order to retain their grip,” she said while addressing a galaxy of women at The Hindu World of Women (WoW) Awards 2025, which celebrates the contributions of women across diverse domains.

Congratulating The Hindu Group for having conceived the idea of honouring women who have distinguished themselves and left a mark in their respective fields, she said: “I’m truly impressed with the array of awards under various categories, and the finely tuned attention and vision given to choose the diverse fields for conferring awards.”

Justice Manjula also mentioned about the historic achievement of astronaut Sunita Williams and said that it was not just her personal victory but a victory for the whole of womanhood and mankind.

Nirmala Lakshman, Chairperson The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited (THGPPL), said that these awards serve as more than just a recognition of individual brilliance.

“They are a powerful reminder of the potential, resilience, and leadership that women bring to every sphere.

Each of our honorees tonight embodies the spirit of perseverance and progress, and their stories inspire us all to strive for a more inclusive and equitable world,” she said.

She adds, “At The Hindu, we believe that true progress is achieved only when every individual, regardless of gender, is given the opportunity to thrive. Through this platform, we not only celebrate women’s achievements but also reaffirm our commitment to advocating for gender equality and empowerment. As we embark on this evening of inspiration and celebration, let us remember that the success of one woman paves the way for countless others.”

The winners

The Hindu Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Justice Prabha Sridevan (retired), The Hindu Excellence in Sports Award was given to Vaishali Rameshbabu, The Hindu Trailblazers in Technology Award was given to Roshni Nadar (in absentia) and The Hindu Excellence in Music Award was given to Aruna Sairam. GRT Generational Pride Award was given to Suneeta Reddy and Sindoori Reddy. The Hindu Excellence in Business Leadership Award was given to Prabha Narasimhan.

Awards were also given to entrepreneurs and those who made an impact in education and agriculture.

The Hindu Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award was presented to Chindi Varadarajulu, The Hindu Excellence in Agriculture & Rural Development Award was given to V. Geethalakshmi, while The Hindu Excellence in Education, Science & Technology Award was given to Tessy Thomas.

The Hindu Achievement in Surpassing Disability Award was given to Aiswarya Rao, The Hindu Contribution to Society Award was given to Supraja Dharini, The Hindu Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award was given to Kalki Subramaniam, The Hindu Excellence in Art & Culture Award was given to Thilagavathi Palani and The Hindu Excellence in Health & Hygiene Award was given to Vijayalakshmi Deshmane.