Women’s empowerment must go beyond awards, representation and rhetoric; it must translate into greater agency, economic independence, better health, leadership opportunities and the freedom to make choices. This emerged as the central message of the We Women Want Conclave 2026 and Shakti Awards, held on Monday in New Delhi. The conclave was hosted by NewsX and The Sunday Guardian Foundation. The platform brought together some of India’s most influential voices from politics, public life, entertainment, medicine, the armed forces, entrepreneurship and grassroots leadership, celebrating women who have broken barriers and driven change across sectors. The conclave featured more than 80 speakers across 32 sessions, while over 80 women achievers were recognised for their contributions and extraordinary journeys.
The speakers were welcomed by Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma; MLA from Haryana’s Kalka Assembly, Shakti Rani Sharma; and Dr Aishwarya Sharma, Chairperson of Sunday Guardian Foundation. Among those attending were Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Taranjit Singh Sandhu; Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta; Union Minister for Food Processing and Industries, Chirag Paswan; Union Minister for Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, Jayant Chaudhary; Congress MP Shashi Tharoor; former Union Ministers Smriti Irani of the BJP and Sachin Pilot of the Congress among others.
Speaking on the We Women Want initiative founded in 2018 and the six conclaves held since 2021 across Delhi and Mumbai, Dr Aishwarya Sharma said, “Over the years, we have seen so many inspiring stories from this podium. It has been a privilege to recognise the work and life of these women achievers and bring their energy, enthusiasm, spirit and sense of purpose to a viewing audience.” The Shakti Awards, named after Shakti Rani Sharma, recognise women from across India whose leadership and extraordinary life stories have had a social impact.
The conclave also placed a special focus on the Namo Shakti Breast Cancer Mission, which is working to take AI-enabled, radiation-free and contactless breast cancer screening to women across India. Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant Governor Sandhu, the chief guest, said the advancement of women was inseparable from the advancement of the nation. He pointed to their growing presence in the armed forces, science, entrepreneurship, governance, sports and the arts. “Women are no longer simply participating in change; they are increasingly leading it,” Sandhu said, adding that their journeys were creating new possibilities for generations to come. He also congratulated the Shakti Award recipients, describing their stories as examples of resilience, excellence and service.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta urged women to look beyond their traditional roles and recognise their own achievements and aspirations. She said a women-focused platform should also encourage women to imagine the future and put themselves at the centre of their own journeys. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took the conversation to an earlier stage of life, arguing that gender equality must begin in childhood. He added that boys needed to be taught from an early age to see women as equals rather than through the lens of stereotypes and objectification.
