She Rise’s first season, which took place at the IBIS hotel in Rajarhat, Kolkata, was a historic occasion honoring Bengal’s diverse skills and inventive energy. The purpose of this event, which was co-hosted by WICCI WB Hospitality and Tourism Council and Boho Good Life Mantra (BGLM), was to promote diversity in the hospitality and tourism sectors, empower artists and small-scale enterprises, and elevate various voices.

She Rise Season 1 featured amazing performances, thought-provoking conversations, and moments of inspiration throughout the day. The acclaimed Madhusatta Choudhary gave a riveting Yoga fusion performance to open the event, creating a calm yet upbeat tone for the day.

The highlight of the event was the panel discussion on The Evolving Synergy of Art, Creativity, Tourism, and Hospitality Industries of Bengal. Esteemed panelists included Sudarshan Chakravorty (Founder and Choreographer at Sapphire International Dance Academy), Santanu Guha Thakurata (Founder and Celebrity fashion designer at Kolkatanama), Reena Dewan (Founder Director – Bridging Culture and Arts Foundation), and Amita Misra (Senior GM, Accor group). The moderator was Paromita Ghosh (Director, Candid Communications Kolkata).

Students at Sapphire performed a modern dance based on a verse by Sadguru, featuring Abrar Sing and Bijoy Sharma, in honor of PRIDE month and inclusivity. The audience responded well to this performance, which emphasized the event’s dedication to diversity and inclusiveness.

Chief Guest DCP Bidhannagar, Aneesh Sarkar IPS, and other esteemed guests, including Raju Barman (Co-owner of Rupa Publishers and Jt Secretary of Publishers and Booksellers Guild), Avijit Roy (Founder and owner of National Human Rights Council), Pandit Mallar Ghosh (Internationally acclaimed rhythm maestro and music composer) and Dr. Swati Nandy Chakraborty (Environmentalist) praised She Rise and their wonderful endeavors.

Both internal and external awardees were honored at the occasion for their exceptional contributions made between 2023 and 2024. The Luminary Achiever category honored Ekta Bhattacharjee (Founder of Ekta Creative Tales), Shwapnil Shojib(Celebrity Singer and anchor from Bangladesh), KOI Worldwide (Internationally acclaimed Travel and Table curator), and Samita Halder(Chef and Philanthropist ) for their exceptional work in their respective fields. The Pioneer of Progress category honored Sudip Bera(renowned singer), Partha Mukherjee(Kolkata Coffee Man), and Prabir Sarkar(Para Athlete).

Members of the Boho Goodlife Mantra Women Empowerment group who have excelled all year long were selected as top achievers and are the internal awardees.

In addition, a live auction of pieces by senior artists from ARTISTIQUE was held at the event, exhibiting the extraordinary talent and commitment of Bengal artists.

The ramp walk was another highlight, with Lopamudra Mandal as the showstopper and Raunaq Anwar as the show opener, along with popular ramp faces like Devika Ghosh, Heena Aftab, Mimssi, Dipannita Basu and Bhramori Roy.

The stage is prepared for She Rise Season 2 thanks to the tremendous response and support from companies, musicians, venues, and leaders.

Priyanka Dutta