On February 17, Vogue Values: Women of Excellence, presented by Tira, made its debut with a simple idea: put the women who shaped 2025 front and centre. Because if recent times have proved anything, it’s that even when the headlines felt heavy, the most hopeful ones almost always had women at the heart of them.
Hosted at the Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Roku Gin and FnP Luxe, the day unfolded in two parts: thoughtful conversations in the afternoon, followed by an evening that balanced gravitas with a healthy dose of glamour.
The first panel zoomed in on sports, moderated by Vogue India’s Features Editor Sadaf Shaikh. On stage were India’s youngest Paralympic medallist Sheetal Devi, national record-holding hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and Jinisha Sharma, Director of Capri Sports. The conversation moved easily between grit and grace. Yarraji spoke candidly about the hurdles she faced off the track—recounting her first international competition, where a record-breaking performance was fuelled by sheer resolve and, as she laughingly admitted, a less-than-friendly interaction with a competitor.
The second panel on entrepreneurship and leadership was led by Sara Hussain, Digital Editor at Vogue India. Founder of Mann Deshi Bank, Chetna Gala Sinha, entrepreneurs Mira Kapoor and Samantha Ruth Prabhu brought three very different journeys to the table. Gala Sinha reflected on building a rural bank for women, a path that was anything but straightforward. From her very first approval by the Reserve Bank of India, she encountered doubt and prejudice. The way she overcame it? “By proving them wrong,” she shared, beaming with pride.
The final panel, moderated by Executive Editor Lamiya Chitalwala, explored the intersections of craft and culture. Designer Monica Shah, actor Kalyani Priyadarshan, International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq and social entrepreneur Radhikaraje Gaekwad discussed what it means to create with conviction. Mushtaq, with humour and heart, spoke about facing anger and opposition for her views, sharing the extraordinary story of making it to the inauguration of the Mysore Dasara through very real threats and resistance.
In the evening, the event shifted into celebration mode. Comedian Rohan Joshi opened the awards ceremony with just enough self-deprecating humour to warm up the room (“I’m neither a woman, nor excellent”) before handing the mic over to Rochelle Pinto, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue India, to deliver the welcome address. A live performance by Kamakshi Khanna and The Dirty Jays, where the ensemble debuted Noor set the rhythm for the night ahead.
The recognitions spanned sport, film and entertainment, arts and culture, STEM, entrepreneurship, design and journalism. Our panellists were honoured for achievements that ranged from international medals to record-breaking films and bestselling books. Faye D’Souza took the stage, as did Twinkle Khanna, Gauri Khan, Anaita Shroff Adajania, Isha Ambani, Anita Dongre, Aneet Padda, Shilpa Rao, Dr Purnima Devi and Gabriella D’Cruz, each celebrated for shaping their field with a distinct vision.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: vogue.in
