New Delhi: Shaifalika Panda, founder and CEO of Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation, the IMFA’s CSR wing, was recently conferred with Shakti Award at the ‘We Women Want Conclave 2025’, hosted by NewsX in New Delhi.
Panda won the award for her social work.
She was also part of a panel that focused on raising confident girls in today’s world. She emphasized the importance of confronting deeply rooted gender norms and systemic inequities, particularly in rural contexts where girls’ aspirations are often curtailed by circumstance. She stressed the need for sustained investments in education, healthcare, and mentorship to help young girls develop confidence and a sense of self-determination.
“True empowerment means dismantling deep-rooted social barriers and moving beyond token efforts to build sustained, community-led ecosystems. Supporting girls through the three A’s: Agency, Aspiration, and Access helps them navigate challenges and realize their dreams. This requires all of us- families, communities, workplaces, and stakeholders to be active allies in creating lasting change,” she said.
This year’s edition of the award also featured keynote addresses by Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor and Union Minister Gajendra Sekhawat, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and celebrities like Ekta Kapoor, Dia Mirza and Shabana Azmi.
The event also celebrated grassroots change-makers, including Drone Didis and Lakhpati Didis, whose personal stories of resilience and innovation resonated deeply with the audience.