The inaugural Self-Made Woman Achievers Awards – Delhi & North Chapter 2026, founded and curated by Nivedita Basu, brought together more than 75 women achievers and over 500 guests at A-Dot, Gurugram, on September 24. The event recognised women across public administration, policing, entrepreneurship, fashion, entertainment, media, beauty, healthcare, social impact and the creator economy.

According to the press note, the awards were held in association with Van Vivaha, India Luxury Foundation and A-Dot Gurugram. The first edition brought women from diverse professional backgrounds onto a common platform, celebrating those who have built careers, businesses and identities while creating an impact in their respective fields.

Among those recognised were beauty entrepreneur Shahnaz Husain, fashion designer Rina Dhaka, classical dancer Shovana Narayan, singer Shibani Kashyap, actress Pooja Banerjee and actor and public-service advocate Shikha Malhotra. The event also featured women whose work has created an impact beyond the entertainment and public spotlight.

The administration and public service segment included Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS, Principal Secretary, Government of Punjab; Ritu Maheshwari, IAS, Secretary, Medical Health & Family Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh; Dr. Rajshri Singh, IPS; and Tanu Sharma, SP. They were recognised for their contributions to governance, policing and public service.

Women from entrepreneurship, fashion, media and social impact were also among the achievers. The list included Shaine Soni, Nikita Arya, CA Tripti Shinghal Somani, Swaati J., Yashika Shaikh, Shanaya Arora, Monika Bhadouria, Priyanka Sharma, Jasleen Lamba, Dr. Palka Grover, Pooja Yadav Kaif, Pooja Gogia, Navneet Grover, Ananya Utpal, Rohini Vakil Kapoor, Maneet Bhatia, Dr. Debasree Banik, Surbhi Shweta, Shweta Tiwari, Shallu Chawla and Anupama Gupta.

The event brought together bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, artists, actors, designers, creators, corporate professionals and social impact leaders. The organisers said the common thread among the awardees was their individual journeys and the work they had built in their respective fields.

For Nivedita Basu, the event also marked an expansion of Self-Made Woman from a media platform into a women-centric intellectual property. Basu, a media professional and brand builder, said the aim was to create a platform where achievement was not restricted to a particular profession or definition of success.

“I wanted one room where we didn’t have to define a successful woman by one profession or one kind of achievement. A woman running an enterprise, a woman administering a state, a woman creating art, building a community, entertaining millions or changing lives on the ground—all of them have earned their place at the table. To see 75 such women come together for our very first chapter was overwhelming. Delhi & North was our beginning; the dream is much bigger,” said Basu, Founder & Curator, Self-Made Woman.

With more than 500 guests attending, the event brought together conversations and stories from women across different sectors. The Delhi & North chapter also set the stage for the organisers’ plans to take the Self-Made Woman Achievers Awards to other cities and highlight stories beyond conventional celebrity circles.

The organisers said the larger objective is to build an enduring platform through which women can be recognised, documented and amplified across different fields. The Delhi & North Chapter marks the first edition of what is planned as a wider awards property.