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Women leaders, achievers and changemakers from grassroots governance, politics, entertainment, sports, healthcare and social work were honoured at the Shakti Awards 2026, held alongside the We Women Want Conclave, organised by NewsX and Read Foundation. The awards recognised women whose work is challenging traditional ideas of leadership and creating impact across communities and institutions. The ceremony brought together women achievers from diverse fields, with the honours reflecting the growing role of women not only in public life and professional spaces but also in grassroots governance and community development. Among those honoured were grassroots leaders Neeru Yadav, Sarpanch of Rajasthan; Smt. Vimla Devi, Pradhan of Meerut; Smt. Poonam Sharma, Sarpanch of Haryana; and Mrs. Shashibala, Sarpanch of Haryana. Their recognition came as women grassroots leaders at the Grassroot Governance session spoke about overcoming social barriers and entering public life. “A leader is never defined by gender.
A leader is defined by the work he has done,” Yadav said, recalling her journey into grassroots politics. Yadav, who became Sarpanch in 2020, said her educational background had initially led people to question her decision to enter village politics. “I am a post-graduate in Mathematics,” she said, stressing that education could strengthen rather than distance women from grassroots leadership. “When a woman comes into politics, she does not only do politics, but she brings the voice of those people to the table, whose voice cannot be heard,” Yadav said, referring to children, women and the elderly. Poonam Sharma also underlined the importance of community support for women entering public life. Recalling her own experience, she said villagers encouraged her to continue despite the challenges. “They said, daughter, we are with you. Don’t give up so easily,” she said. Amruta Fadnavis, one of the Shakti Award recipients, also spoke about the transformative impact of women’s participation in local governance during the Future of Women in Leadership session. “When the women become Sarpanch and Panchayat leaders, the whole face of the village changes because they have lived through the experiences and they know what is needed to be done,” Fadnavis said.