WALTHAM, MA—INDIA New England News, one of the largest online and video magazines serving the Indian-American community in the United States, today released the names of the 20 Outstanding Women of 2020, who will be honored at the 18th Annual Woman of the Year Awards gala on Sept. 11, 2020 at Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA.
“Everyone in this year’s list of Outstanding 20 brings forth a positive force to whatever they do in their profession, business or community service. They also represent a broad spectrum of industries and social, charity and community work,” said Upendra Mishra, producer of the Woman of the Year Awards gala and publisher of INDIA News England News and its sister publications IndUS Business Journal and the Boston Real Estate Times. “We are excited to honor the 20 outstanding women who live their passion and make a huge difference in lives of people, business and communities they touch.”
Since 2002, INDIA New England News has been honoring 20 outstanding women every year from various fields.
This year’s Outstanding Women’s list represents a diverse group of women in the areas of science, business, education, healthcare, art and culture, and community and social services.
Lifetime Achievement Award, for 2020, as announced previously, will go to acclaimed Bharatanatyam dance teacher Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, who is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Natyamani School of Dance. INDIA New England News will also honor Circle of Hope, co-founded by Nirmala Garimella and Farida Kathawalla. Based in Boston, the Circle of Hope brings women philanthropists together to work towards AIF programs impacting women and girls in India.
About 500 entrepreneurs, philanthropists, professionals, and community leaders attend the the Woman of the Year gala every year.
“It is a day that I look forward to entire year as we honor 20 extraordinary women for their impact in the world around them and around us. With COVID-19 pandemic slowly winding down and the business and economy gradually opening, let’s celebrate achievements of these 20 women,” said Dr. Manju Sheth, MD, director of Woman of the Year gala and host of the celebrity video series Chai With Manju. “I am grateful that the we can now start getting excited and bring back normalcy as we heal , get inspired and finally celebrate together this wonderful 18-year-old tradition of honoring special women. My congratulations to our 20 Recipients and looking forward to seeing everyone on Sept. 11.
This year’s gala is sponsored by the BMW of Sudbury, The Boston Group USA, The Mishra Group, INE MultiMedia and Marriott Burlington, among others. Supporting sponsors are Alankar Wedding Planners & Decorators and Boston Sound & Light Company.
To purchase tickets for the event, please click here.
Here is the list of Outstanding Women 2020 (in the alphabetical order by last name):
Gayatri Aryan
Director, Product Development at Dell Technologies
Chair, Baal Yuva Vibhag at Hindi Manch
Sunita Badola
Head, External Partnership & Patient-Centric Data Strategy
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd
Priti Chatter
Partner
Neonet Capital LLC
Swati Elavia
President, Monsoon Kitchen
2019 Business Person of the Year for Massachusetts
Manisha Jain
Founder, Sew We Care
Volunteer CEO, Juju Productions
Yogita Miharia
Director, India Association of Greater Boston
Actress, SETU
Director of Quality Assurance, Oracle
Sandra Nagale
Director, Digital Health & Data Services
Boston Scientific
Pratima Penumarthy
Director, Arya Math Academy
Coordinator, Team Aid Inc.
Thara Pillai
Director, Alumni Programs & Engagement
Harvard Innovation Labs
Varshini Prakash
Managing Director
Sunrise Movement
Dr. Sailaja Reddy, MD
Founder & Owner
Roothealthmd
Shimna Sameer
Managing Director, National Operations & Northeast Division Executive
Bank of America
Dr. Vaishali Sanchorawala, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, Amyloidosis Center; Director, Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Program
Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine
Rhitu Siddharth
Special Assistant to Deputy United Nations Representative in Libya
United Nations
Rachana Shah
Co-Founder, Evergreen Adult Daycare
Secretary, Gujarati Association of New England (Gurjar)
Dr. Bharati Sinha, MD
NeoNatalogist
Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Aditi Soni
President
United India Association of New England
Renu Tewarie
Principal
Shishu Bharati, Walpole, MA
Geeta Vallecha
Yoga Educator and Trainer
Founder, Yoga First With Geeta
Reetika Vijay, AIA LEED AP
Managing Principal
IA Interior Architects
Special Recognition:
Circle of Hope-AIF
Nirmala Garimella and Farida Kathawalla
Co-Founders
