KATHMANDU, MAY 14Media 9, publisher of Business 360 and WOW, organised the WOW Women Achievers Awards 2026 in Kathmandu, recognising outstanding women whose contributions to society span leadership, courage, creativity and service. The event brought together representatives from government, the diplomatic community, the corporate sector, civil society and development organisations to celebrate women creating meaningful impact across Nepal.The awards spanned a wide range of fields. Musician Abhaya Subba Weise was recognised in the Arts category, while the National Blind Women Cricket Team received the Sports award. Dr. Radha Paudel, nurse, author, activist and founder of the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation, won in Social Service and Activism. Hajuri Bista, founder of Hajuri Khadya Udhyog, was honoured for Entrepreneurship, and Basundhara Khadka, Superintendent of Police at Nepal Police, received the Leadership award. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Rubi Kumari Thakur was named Inspiring Woman of the Year 2026, and the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Indira Yakthumba, founder principal of Gyanodaya Bal Batika School.For Hajuri Bista, the recognition came as a genuine surprise. "This award is a complete surprise to me. Winning it makes me feel like I still have so much more to do in my life," she said. Bista has spent 33 years building her pickle brand, sold under the Kitchen Recipe label and through her Achar Ghar outlets, now also stocked at Bhatbhateni. Her children now manage marketing and PR while she leads production, a family enterprise that has grown steadily over the decades.The evening also drew prominent voices from the women's entrepreneurship space. Darshana Shrestha, President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Associations of Nepal (FWEAN) and founder of natural skincare company Nature Nepal, was among them. "This event is specifically meant for women, and as someone who works with women every day and is so passionate about their achievements, being here makes me very happy," she said. FWEAN is the apex body for women entrepreneurs in Nepal, with over 5,700 registered members across 77 district chapters.The keynote address was delivered by Sonam Bhuti Gurung, a 21-year-old teacher at Chharka School in Dolpo and a Bachelor's student in Education, who gained wider recognition after being featured in Hernekatha. "I want to be the voice of the voiceless. It is not just about Dolpo. There are so many remote places in our country, and I want to talk about everything that our people are lacking," she said. Fashion freelancer Ashim Ranabhat, a graduate of Nomoda College of Fashion Technology with nine years in the industry, reflected on WOW's long influence on her personally. "One of the reasons I chose to study fashion was because of WOW. I used to follow it even when it was called Voice of Women, and I know I will leave today with fresh inspiration," she said.The WOW Women Achievers Awards 2026 was supported by Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd. as Title Sponsor and Ncell as Powered By Partner, alongside inDrive Nepal, NIBL Equity Partners, NIMB Ace Capital, Vaishno Medi Sales, Vatsalya Natural IVF, WWF Nepal, Laminar Tiles, Farm Shop, Kama Jewels and Ben Nevis. The Plaza served as Hospitality Partner, with beverage support from Sagar Distillery Limited, Gorkha Brewery, Dabur Nepal and Nepal Distilleries.
