Veteran Artists Felicitated at Ubuntu's Women of Worth 2025 Awards in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Renowned artists and public figures Umashree, B. Jayashree, and Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane were conferred with the 'Women of Worth' (WoW) awards by the Ubuntu Women's Network in Bengaluru recently. The awards recognise women who have made outstanding contributions to arts, culture, and public service.
The occasion marked the launch of the fifth edition of the WoW 2025 programme, drawing over 300 delegates and 100 exhibitors from across India. In total, 16 women achievers from diverse sectors were honoured.
Umashree, a noted theatre and film personality and former Minister for Women and Child Development in Karnataka; B. Jayashree, theatre icon, singer and former Member of Parliament; and Dr Vijayalakshmi Deshmane, Padma Shri awardee and surgical oncologist, were among the most prominent recipients.
Ubuntu, a global network of women entrepreneurs, used the platform to reiterate its goal of establishing a presence in 195 countries by 2030. Currently active in 44 countries and comprising 1.95 million members, Ubuntu has positioned itself as a key advocate for inclusive and sustainable women-led development.
'Growth with a soul is the essence of Ubuntu,' said K. Ratnaprabha, former Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka and Founder-President of Ubuntu. Reflecting on her career in public service, Ratnaprabha highlighted policy initiatives that provided greater visibility and opportunity to women entrepreneurs in Karnataka, particularly through platforms such as the Global Investors' Meet.
Ratnaprabha also announced the launch of a digital marketing programme aimed at training 1,000 women entrepreneurs to enhance their digital competencies and market outreach.
The event featured knowledge sessions on topics such as cyber safety, e-commerce, and business transformation. Parul Soni, Global Managing Partner at Thinkthrough Consulting, underscored Ubuntu's partnerships with platforms like Walmart and Flipkart, noting their potential to expand opportunities for women-led enterprises in the e-commerce sector.
Dr Raj Kumar Khatri, IAS (Retd.), praised Ubuntu's efforts to bridge critical gaps in access to finance, technology, and markets for women entrepreneurs. Nitesh K. Patil, Director of MSME at Karnataka's Department of Industries and Commerce, shared details of a new digital marketing platform aimed at equipping women entrepreneurs with tools to enhance visibility and competitiveness in the digital economy.

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