BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], August 13: In a world that often celebrates linear success, few platforms truly honour the courage it takes to begin again. The SecondAct x INK Women Awards 2025, held on August 3rd at PVR Home, Ambience Mall, stood as a powerful exception--bringing together women of bold reinvention and the allies who champion them, to spotlight a deeper kind of power: the power of choosing purpose over convention.
This year's event was proudly supported by Narayana Health, an organisation dedicated to saving lives and inspiring hope. Their partnership perfectly aligned with our celebration of reinvention, resilience, and impact.
Co-curated by SecondAct, a platform dedicated to helping people find their 'next chapter,' and INK Women, a movement amplifying women's leadership and voices, the awards went beyond ceremony--they became a living manifesto. An intimate yet powerful gathering, it honoured the quiet revolutions and radical reboots that too often go unnoticed.
Opening the afternoon, Archana Dutta, Founder of SecondAct and CEO of INK Women, set the tone:
"These awards aren't about glittering resumes--they're about gritty reinvention. Every woman here has made a radical choice: to rebuild on her own terms. That deserves not just recognition, but reverence."
Joining her was Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO of the Startup Policy Forum, who spoke to the heart of true leadership--how reinvention, when done with courage, becomes a beacon for others, and why women need to support one another to stand tall.
This year's honorees were pioneers across sectors, including:
* Shukla Bose - Founder & CEO, Parikrma Humanity Foundation
* Dr. Vinnie Jauhari - Director, Education Industry, Microsoft
* Radhika Bharat Ram - Founder, KARM for Young Indian Women
* Swati Bhargava - Co-founder & CEO, CashKaro
* Arpana Shahi - Founder, Gabit
* Shilpa Sharma - Founder & Curator, QuietRoads
* Nandita Das - Actor, Director
* Sushma Jain - Artist
* Dilshad Master - Founder, Bull's Adventures; Director, Outward Bound India Himalaya
* Vishesh Chandiok - CEO, Grant Thornton Bharat
* Prashant Mehra - Partner & CPCO, Grant Thornton Bharat
* Shreya Krishnan - Managing Director - India, AnitaB.org
A standout moment was the fireside conversation between Lakshmi Pratury, Founder of INK, and Kirthiga Reddy, Co-founder & CEO of Verix. Their dialogue dug deep into identity, inner alignment, and the invisible work behind bold transitions.
"Every reinvention begins with a letting go," shared Reddy. "It's about aligning who we are with how we live and lead."
The duo also introduced AI Kiran--a joint initiative by INK Women and Verix to engage 1 million women in AI by 2028. It's an ambitious mission that perfectly mirrors the spirit of the evening: where innovation meets inclusion, and purpose meets progress.
With over 100 changemakers in the room--from founders and artists to educators and investors--the event felt less like an awards night and more like an honest, inspiring salon. This unique atmosphere was made possible through the generous support of partners like Pedal On (SecondAct's social impact arm) and most notably, Narayana Health, whose role as main sponsor amplified the event's message of holistic empowerment and second chances.
For the first time, the Awards introduced a new category: The Ally Award, celebrating men who actively champion gender inclusion--not as a checkbox, but as a true leadership value.
The evening closed with a reflection from Lakshmi Pratury that captured the heart of the movement:
"When one woman rewrites her story, she gives others permission to do the same. The second act isn't just a personal leap--it's a cultural reset."
As lights dimmed and conversations lingered, one truth echoed clearly: reinvention isn't the exception--it's the new way forward.
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