There are moments when recognition becomes more than a trophy, more than a certificate and more than a name on an award announcement. The Durga Shakti Award 2026 by Cherry Book Awards is conceived as a celebration of women whose journeys reflect courage, achievement, creativity, resilience and purposeful contribution.
The 2026 honourees represent remarkably different worlds. Their stories extend across literature, technology, law, classical arts, visual creativity, leadership, research, media and personal transformation. What connects them is not a common profession, but the individuality of their journeys and the determination with which they have pursued their respective paths.
Together, they create a portrait of contemporary achievement in which strength can take many forms.
Madhurima Guruju brings together the worlds of teaching, writing and performance poetry. An award winning author and educator, she has developed a literary identity rooted in emotional honesty and human experience. Her works, including Musings and Memories Part 2 and Hyderabad to Stardom, reflect her ability to transform observation, emotion and everyday experiences into literary expression. Her recognition adds a distinguished chapter to a journey that continues to connect literature with the spoken and performed word.
Rakhi Haridas: Technology, Leadership and Classical Art
Rakhi Haridas represents an extraordinary convergence of professional and creative disciplines. An IT professional and leadership and transformation coach, she is also a Kuchipudi dancer, educator, author and artist. Her artistic journey includes advanced Kuchipudi training, Carnatic music and teaching through her dance school, Sri Halasyam. She has also published poetry, personal development writing and crime fiction. Her journey demonstrates how technology, leadership, classical arts and literature can exist within one evolving professional identity.
Kristal Baith: A Distinctive Journey of Achievement
Kristal Baith joins the 2026 cohort as a woman whose individual journey adds another dimension to the Durga Shakti Award. Her recognition reflects the broader philosophy of the honour, which embraces women from different backgrounds and celebrates achievement through individuality, perseverance and purposeful work. Her place among the 2026 recipients contributes to the diversity of voices and experiences represented by this year’s recognition.
Roopa Modha: An Extraordinary Multidisciplinary Presence
Few profiles encompass as many creative and professional dimensions as Roopa Modha. An internationally recognised media personality, attorney, writer, poet, lyricist, pageant queen, dancer, choreographer and social advocate, she has built a career spanning law, literature, entertainment and philanthropy. Her literary portfolio includes three published books and thousands of published articles, while her artistic journey encompasses multiple dance traditions. Her advocacy has included women’s rights, girls’ education, anti bullying initiatives and social welfare. Her recognition through the Durga Shakti Award 2026 acknowledges a remarkably broad body of professional and creative work.
Sailee Tiwari: Where Technology Meets Creativity
Sailee Tiwari represents a compelling modern intersection of technology and artistic expression. An award winning author, poet, visual artist and Software Engineering Senior Technical Lead, she has published seven books and contributed to more than a dozen literary anthologies. Her works include Extra Ordinary, Reviving Tales, Eternal Trudges and The Guarded Flame of Petals. She is also the editor and creator of Peace and Panacea and has received recognition across literary and creative platforms. Her journey demonstrates that technical expertise and artistic sensitivity can flourish together.
Twisha Ray: The Contemporary Voice of Literature and Technology
Twisha Ray brings together technology, literature, analytical thinking and emotional sensitivity. A Computer Science Engineer and MBA professional specialising in Human Resources and Business Analytics, she has developed a literary voice concerned with human emotions, relationships, social dynamics and real world experiences. Her interests also extend to nature, animals, environmental consciousness and visual creativity. Her recognition through the Durga Shakti Award 2026 follows her earlier recognition through the Sahitya Ratna Samman 2026 for Most Innovative Writer, further documenting her distinctive multidisciplinary journey.
Kelly West: Creativity, Visual Expression and Storytelling
Kelly West adds an international creative dimension to the 2026 cohort. Her professional and artistic work reflects a deep engagement with visual expression and storytelling. Her artistic portfolio encompasses beach scenes, wildlife, ocean animals, landscapes, pet portraits and murals, demonstrating an expansive relationship with the natural world and visual creativity. Her work illustrates another important dimension of the Durga Shakti Award, where creative contribution can emerge through forms beyond traditional literary and professional disciplines.
Jenney Clark: Literature, Ancient Wisdom and Human Resilience
Jenney Clark is an award winning author, researcher, podcast host and esoteric scholar based in Hyderabad. The author of nine books, including Cryptid: Falling into Time, she brings together literature, ancient mysteries, esoteric philosophy, archetypal psychology and human experience. Through her Awakened Souls podcast, writing and research, she has explored resilience, trauma, recovery, identity and personal sovereignty. Her work also includes essays for the CPTSD Foundation in the United States. Her Durga Shakti Award recognition reflects a distinctive body of work shaped by literature, research, experience and an enduring interest in the deeper dimensions of human life.
Different Journeys, One Celebration of Women
The significance of the Durga Shakti Award 2026 lies in the breadth of the women it brings together. These recipients do not represent a single definition of success.
Madhurima Guruju brings literary expression and performance. Rakhi Haridas bridges technology, leadership and classical dance. Kristal Baith adds another distinctive individual journey. Roopa Modha brings together law, media, literature, dance and advocacy. Sailee Tiwari connects technology with poetry and visual creativity. Twisha Ray represents the evolving relationship between technology and contemporary literature. Kelly West brings visual art and creative storytelling into the conversation. Jenney Clark connects literature, research, ancient wisdom and resilience.
The award therefore becomes a celebration of possibility itself.
Inspired by the enduring symbolism associated with Goddess Durga, the recognition places emphasis on qualities such as courage, determination, strength and purposeful achievement. It acknowledges women not merely for occupying a particular professional position, but for the journeys they have built through talent, discipline, creativity and perseverance.The Durga Shakti Award 2026 forms part of Cherry Book Awards’ wider recognition and celebration of these women as individuals, recognising the journeys they have created and the remarkable possibilities represented by their work.
