A grand celebration of women empowerment, leadership, and entrepreneurship, “Celebrate HER – Utsav Season 2,”was successfully held at Hilton Garden Inn, Gomtinagar, Lucknow. The event brought together inspiring women entrepreneurs, changemakers, and influential voices from across the city for an evening of recognition, meaningful conversations, and celebration.
The Chief Guest, Ms. Aparna Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime & Headquarters), Lucknow Police Commissionerate, and one of Uttar Pradesh’s leading mountaineers, shared powerful insights on courage, resilience, and breaking barriers. Addressing the gathering, she emphasized the importance of empowering women through opportunities, education, and self-reliance, encouraging them to take leadership roles in society.
The event also witnessed the presence of distinguished Special Guests, including Ms. Leena Johri, Additional Chief Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Director General, Rashtriya Poshan Mission, Uttar Pradesh, and Ms. Ritu Agarwal, Managing Director, Gyandhara Industries, Lucknow, who highlighted the importance of policy support, entrepreneurship, and community-driven growth for women.
A key highlight of the evening was the felicitation of 11 outstanding women entrepreneurs for their contributions across diverse sectors. The awardees included Shaista Ambar, Rupali Gupta, Mansi Didwania, Dr. Deepti Chopra, Kareshma Khanna, Swati Sharma, Charu Srivastava, Priya Khanna, Dr. Ritu Jain, Vidushi Vijayvergiya, and Shipra Anand.
The event featured “Her Brand, Her Story,” a specially curated one-on-one interaction series, where Dr. Hansa Srivastava (Cosmetologist), Priyal Rastogi (Jeweller), and Pooja Agarwal (Jeweller) shared their entrepreneurial journeys, challenges, and successes.
Adding further value, a financial literacy session was conducted by Mr. Bal Sachin Gupta (VSIX Arthgyan) and moderated by Dr. Supriya Agarwal, offering practical insights into financial planning and awareness. A session by an officer from Tally also provided essential knowledge for entrepreneurs on business and accounting practices.
The evening concluded with a vibrant SUTA fashion show, bringing together fashion, creativity, and celebration, and adding a festive dimension to the event.
The event saw active participation from members of the WomenShine Chamber of Entrepreneurship (WCE), along with prominent personalities from Lucknow, including Gaurav Prakash, Renuka Tandon, Kanak Rekha Chauhan, Suman Singh Rawat, Lalita Pandey, Sunita Aron, and several other influential attendees.
Speaking on the occasion, Aparna Mishra, Founder, WomenShine Chamber of Entrepreneurship (WCE), said, “Lucknow has some truly inspiring women—women who are building businesses, creating opportunities, and quietly making an impact in their communities. Yet very often, their journeys remain unseen and their stories unheard—and that is exactly why we created Celebrate HER. When we started the WomenShine Chamber of Entrepreneurship, the idea was simple—to build a supportive ecosystem where women entrepreneurs could connect, collaborate, and grow together.
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Entrepreneurship can sometimes be a challenging journey, but when women support each other, that journey becomes much more powerful. Today’s event is not just about awards. It is about recognition—recognition of women who took the courage to start something of their own, who balanced responsibilities while building meaningful enterprises, and who continue to inspire others through their work.”
“Celebrate HER – Utsav Season 2” emerged as a powerful platform celebrating the spirit, strength, and achievements of women, while reinforcing the importance of community, collaboration, and recognition.