New Delhi: Celebrating the spirit, resilience and determination of such women, who have broken the bias, was the first edition of the She Slays Awards, hosted by Health Shots, a digital health and wellness platform by HT Media for Indian millennial women, in partnership with 94.3 Radio One International.
The She Slays Awards held virtually on March 25, 2022, felicitated path-breaking women and featured a host of inspiring Spotlight stars, capturing the zeitgeist around women power and the need for their voices to be heard.
Praveen Someshwar, Managing Director and CEO, HT Media, says, “Inspiring stories must always be told! ‘She Slays’ is a platform to highlight empowering stories of women who have stood strong against many odds. I feel very proud of how She Slays has grown from strength to strength, just as women have around the world, and we hope it continues to bring more inspiring narratives to prominence.”
In sync with the global Women’s Day theme of #BreakTheBias, a month-long celebration on HealthShots and Radio One featured inspirational and empowering stories of women’s trials, tribulations and triumphs, in the run-up to the main event.
From boxing champion MC Mary Kom, Miss India World 2020 Miss India World Manasa Varanasi and Kamasutra expert and storyteller Seema Anand to India’s favourite 63-year-old ‘Dancing Dadi’ Ravi Bala Sharma, actor-philanthropist Rajshree Deshpande and actor-performer Sushant Divgikr, stories of these bias-breakers were shared through the She Slays platform.
“Health Shots has grown to become one of India’s largest and fastest growing destination for women’s health and wellness. We serve more than 5 million users every month. She Slays is an extension of our very ethos of celebrating the spirit of women. We are very proud of hosting the 1st She Slays Awards, rewarding and applauding women who personify the change they want to be and see,“ Puneet Jain, Chief Executive Officer, HT Digital News.
The jury panel comprised a quartet of women who have made a mark for themselves in different fields: Veteran folk singer and Padma Shri awardee Malini Awasthi, India’s Aromatherapy pioneer and beauty veteran Dr Blossom Kochhar, Megha Tata – Managing Director – South Asia, Discovery Communications India, and author Jayanti Ranganathan, Executive Editor – Hindustan. These women themselves are an epitome of strength, belief, persistence and achievement – the cornerstones of what we celebrate at She Slays.
The She Slays Awardees – Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga, eco-warrior Vani Murthy, menstrual health and hygiene educator Aditi Gupta, body positivity icon Sakshi Sindwani, content creator and mental health therapist Divija Bhasin and entrepreneur Sachee Malhotra – were chosen keeping in mind their contribution towards bringing a positive change in the world.
Guneet Monga, credited for producing films such as The Lunchbox and Masaan, has expanded Indian cinema’s footprints globally, paving the way for more women to go behind the camera in the male-dominated industry.
A champion for zero-waste living and sustainability, Vani Murthy aka ‘Worm Rani’ on Instagram, advocates composting, terrace gardening and natural cleaning products for a greener Earth.
Sakshi Sindwani, a plus-sized model, has been harnessing the power of social media and the moniker of ‘Style Me Up With Sakshi’ to boost the confidence of women with curves.
Young content creator Divija Bhasin aka Awkwardgoat3 , armed with a MSc in Clinical Psychology, breaks the bias around mental health issues as “your friendly neighbourhood therapist”.
Aditi Gupta, co-founder of Menstrupedia, has been making strides to change the narrative around menstrual health by creating educational comic books, workshops, and animated videos on the subject.
Entrepreneur Sachee Malhotra, the woman behind That Sassy Thing, aims to normalize conversation around women’s bodies, pleasure and sexual health.
Talking about the She Slays Awards event, Dr Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, said, “It was wonderful to be a part of She Slays Awards. We need more such initiatives that recognize and encourage women who are breaking the glass ceiling. I have always believed in up-skilling women and helping them grow while I grow too.”
Adding to that, Jayanti Ranganathan, Executive Editor – Hindustan, says, “She Slays Awards is a beautiful initiative by Health Shots. It salutes women who have broken the bias. Whenever a woman steps out, she has to battle three fronts – family, profession and personal health. Every woman deserves to get support and facilities in these areas of life.”
