GR8! Women Awards 2014

Manav Gohil and Shweta Kawatra with their daughter Zahra.

THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S Day may be still a couple of weeks away, but for the women gathered at the Sofitel, The Palm, on Saturday night it was an evening of celebration filled with girl power. The fourth Gadoya Holdings GR8! Women Awards 2014 hosted a plethora of stars from across the Middle East and Asia with Laila Suhail, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishments, Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, veteran television personality Simi Garewal and Lebanese singer Melissa among the top honorees.

To see local personalities sashay down the ramp, talk about the ups and downs of their career was inspiring. The event recognised the contribution of women in various categories like art, cinema, science, fashion, environment, banking and journalism.

‘The GR8! Women Award’s is also a platform for the NGO, ‘Beti’, a movement against atrocities perpetrated on women in India.

One of the highlights of the evening was when television’s most popular couple Manav Gohil and Shweta Kawatra walked the ramp with their daughter Zahra. As her dotting father told us, Zahra proved to be the “Show Stealer” of the event.

“It feels great to be in Dubai. I was here for New Year’s and now I am back again. As an Indian when you get applauded in another country, it feels amazing, Sumona Chakravarti told us. “People watch me here on Comedy Nights with Kapil with subtitles and I do not know how it sounds in translation but every time I come here I get so much love,” she added. “My favourite episodes were with Shah Rukh Khan, even the one with Salman Khan was hilarious. It feels great because I get to romance these actors and I get paid for it too!”

Actress Shriya Saran was lauded for her achievement in the world of cinema at the event. “It is a wonderful initiative to bring various talents of women from different walks of life on one platform and I feel humbled that I got this award. It is a beautiful feeling to be here with my mother who has inspired me to do good work and be a good human being. I am thankful to my audience for tolerating me. Sometimes it feels like a beautiful dream and if it’s a dream then I don’t ever want to wake up.”

Simi Garewal who got the Gr8! Lifetime Achievement Award dedicated her trophy to her sister Amrita. “I came to Bollywood when I was fifteen. The magic of cinema just unfolded around me and I was consumed. It has been the love affair of my life truly and like most love affairs there has been euphoria and heartaches, there has been frustration and amazing fulfillment. My little dreams became a big dream but let me tell you one thing, you cannot get to this space without two things passion and support. Passion was mine; the support has been from my sister Amrita. She shares my entire burden and if I appear tall to you its because she always lifts me high on her shoulders. We share a lifetime and we share this award.” Garewal’s emotional tribute to her sister left many teary-eyed in the audience.

”I feel lucky to have been a part of Beti for the last two years,” Rithvik Dhanjani from Pavitra Rishta said. “Dubai being my hometown it was exciting when they told me this event would happenhere. For the entire television fraternity this is like a mini holiday.”

The hosts of the evening, television actor Karan Grover and local Dubai One presenter Aishwarya Ajit, made sure they sent across the message that women are the backbone of society. Apart from celebrating various achievements of women, the evening’s entertainment was provided by television actors who ensured everyone present had a great time.

List of Winners

Young Entrepreneur: Danya Bashir Hobba

Young Achiever: Maud Chifamba

Special Mention (Vedic Science): Janvi Gaur

Special Mention (Geoscience): Engr. Mary Jane Alvero – Al Mahdi.

Education: Vandana Gandhi

Journalism: Sidra Iqbal

Environmental Excellence: Habiba Al Marashi

Fashion: Mona Al Mansouri

Music: Melissa

Cinema: Shriya Saran

A decoration of Distinction for the Dynamic Development of Dubai: Laila Suhail

Banking & Finance: Sara Ismail Mohamed

Lifetime Achievement Award: Simi Garewal

Distinction in acting: Kangana Ranaut