MAM
Wonder Women 2022: Honouring the top 100 achievers
Mumbai: Continuing its annual tradition of recognising and honouring remarkable women leaders, entrepreneurs and change-makers for their outstanding contributions in the arena of media, entertainment and marketing industries, IndianTelevision.com pulled back the curtain to reveal the list of 100 Wonder Women Award winners. The names of the winners were announced virtually at the Wonder Women 2022 event held on Friday, ahead of International Women’s Day 2022.
While women account for about half of India’s population, they represent less than one-third of the workforce- the lowest among the major economies- as per a 2019 government report. The pandemic only made the situation worse. Awareness is important, but even more so is action. Companies, teams, and peers must continually choose to challenge workplace bias, advocate for inclusion, and ultimately effect lasting change at work.
While a lot needs to be done on the ground level to narrow the gap and foster a gender-neutral workforce, the Wonder Women 100 aims to empower and inspire women by honouring professionals who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers in the business & creative arts, overcoming challenges. The goal is to elevate the role models who can motivate and mentor the next generation of aspiring women.
The event also saw panel discussions on relevant topics that play a critical role in driving this change. By creating spaces that elevate, amplify, and empower women and non-binary voices, these sessions aim to inspire attendees, offering hope for a future of true gender equity.
The power list of the 100 top achievers has been compiled with the aid of an esteemed jury comprising the editorial heads from IndianTelevision Group.
Here are the names of this year’s standout winners.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
