The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) hosted the prestigious TAAI WoW Awards 2025 (Women of Wonder) at The Ashok, New Delhi, on March 12, 2025, in celebration of International Women’s Day. This event marked a significant milestone in TAAI’s 75-year journey, recognizing the outstanding contributions of accomplished women across India.
The ceremony brought together distinguished personalities and industry leaders to honor and celebrate women who have made remarkable achievements in their respective fields. Embracing the powerful belief that “The future is equal, and the time is now,” TAAI set out to create a landmark moment on its journey toward 75 years of excellence.
Commemorating International Women’s Day, TAAI honored and awarded 75 industry leaders from across India through its 20 Regions & Chapters. The awards spanned the key verticals of Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality, while also recognizing leadership in government and allied authorities, media, and other sectors.
According to Mr. Sunil Kumar R., President of TAAI, “This is a duty-bound reflection of our commitment to recognizing women’s leadership and accomplishments. The TAAI WoW Awards 2025 highlighted the pivotal role of women in shaping industries and driving progress, making it a significant event in the legacy of TAAI. ‘When women rise, humanity thrives’—this belief inspired us to present the WoW Awards (Women of Wonder). Women’s leadership, particularly in the Travel & Tourism industry, is a powerful force for innovation, confidence, and meaningful engagement with those we serve.”
TAAI’s 20 Regions & Chapters across India are actively engaged. 20 Members, one from each Region – Chapter, are awarded Member Excellence Awards. 25 Industry Leaders, situated locally are awarded with Industry Leaders Excellence Awards On 12th March, at an impressive awards ceremony at New Delhi, TAAI honoured many visionary leaders from among the Seventy Five awardees. Their accomplishments and long standing dedication was loudly acknowledged
The list included the following leaders, Smt. Pravati Parida, Dy. Chief Minister & Minister for Tourism & Child Development, Government of Odisha; Ms. Mughda Sinha, IAS, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Ms. Nandini Chakraborty, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of India, West Bengal; Smt. Salma K Fahim (IAS), Secy. to Government – Dept. of Tourism, Government of Karnataka; Ms. Saidingpuii Chhakchhuak (IAS), Managing Director & Commissioner of Tourism, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd.; Ms. Sikha Surendran, IAS, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala; Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & MD, The Lalith Suri Hospitality Group; Ms Priya Paul, Chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd;HH Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad, Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara; Ms Manju Sharma, Managing Director, Jaypee Hotels; Ms Radha Bhatia, Chairperson, Bird Group & President, Women in Aviation India; Ms. Pooja Ray, Vice Chairman, Mayfair Hotels & Resorts; Ms. Neelu Khatri, Co Founder & Senior VP, Akasa Air; Ms Kanika Tekriwal, CEO & Co-Founder, JetSetGo; Padma Shri Shovana Narayan, the renowned cultural luminary and renowned Kathak Dancer; Ms Rohini Bhatia, Chairperson, Interglobe Foundation; Ms Ranju Alex, Regional Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International; Ms Gursharn Goyal, Co-Founder & MD, STIC Group Travel; Ms Niharika Rai, IAS, Secretary Tourism, Govt. of NCT of Delhi; Ms Neeraj Ghei, Director, TRAC Representations; Ms Kadambini Mittal, Regional Vice President, India & SW Asia, Hyatt India Consultancy; Ms Pallavi Mehra, Sr Group Director, Informa Markets; Ms Priyanka Nijhawan, Director, Nijhawan Group; Ms Sanjana Mohan, CEO, Deneb & Pollux Hotels Pvt .Ltd; Ms Yummi Talwar, COO, VFS Global India; Ms Renu Kundaliya, Associate Director, Fairfest Media Pvt. Ltd; Ms Vandana Luthra, Founder, VLCC Health Care Ltd; Ms. Shivani Singh Deo, Country Manager, Virgin Atlantic, India; Ms Summi Sharma, VP ifly & Customer Service, IndiGo; Ms Purnima Nirurkar, Associate Vice President, Air India; Ms Taruna Jain, North & East India, Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh, AF – KLM; Ms Vasudha Sondhi, Managing Director, Outbound Marketing and Connect Worlwide India; Ms Sonia Bhalla, Regional Sales Manager, Air India.
Other Industry Leaders awards presented locally by Regions / Chapters of India are Ms. Sudha Renganathan, General Manager (Operations), Airports Authority of India, Kolkata; Ms. Benazir Nazar, CEO & Director, Akbar Holidays, Mumbai; Ms. S. Padmavathy, Asst. Director, India Tourism, Chennai; Mrs. R. Parimala, Principal, Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai; Ms. Smita Sabharwal, Secy. to Government – Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture, Government of Telangana; Ms. Parul Kulshreshtha Singh, Head- Business Development & General Manager (Cargo), GMR Group, Hyderabad; Ms. Shama Pawar, Deputy Director, Directorate of Tourism, Pune; Mrs. Lodovina Quadros, Tourism Officer, Goa Tourism; Ms Jocelyn Carvalho, General Manager, Deltin Suites; Smt. Sandhya Haridas, Assistant Director General, Ministry of Tourism; Dr. Yamini Karmarkar, Director, IIPS, DAVV; Ms. Deeba Khalid, Deputy Director for Publicity (Publicity), J&K Tourism; Rani Ratna Kumari Shahapura, Shahpura Hotels & Resorts, Rajasthan and Ms Tripty Pandey, Rajasthan’s Cultural Ambassador.
Expressing her gratitude, Mrs. Manju Sharma, MD of Jaypee Hotels said, “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from TAAI. This award is not just a personal milestone but a celebration of the dedication and perseverance of women in hospitality and beyond. It reminds us that with passion and commitment, we can create a lasting impact and inspire future generations. I wholeheartedly dedicate this award to my incredible team at Jaypee Hotels. Their unwavering hard work and dedication have been instrumental in this achievement, and I am truly grateful for their efforts.”
