Lucknow: A vibrant celebration of social unity and women empowerment marked this year’s Holi in Lucknow, as the “Holi Milan Samaaroh & Women Honour 2026” was organised at Ramayan Park, Sector-25, Indira Nagar. The event was hosted by the Help You Educational & Charitable Trust in collaboration with the Lucknow Management Association and Sector-25 Indira Nagar Resident Welfare Association, with blessings from Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham Peeth. The celebration was dedicated to the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat”.
The programme was graced by Dr. Dinesh Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP and former Deputy Chief Minister, as the chief guest. Distinguished dignitaries including Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, MLAs Jay Devi Kaushal and O.P. Srivastava, MLC Mukesh Sharma, former Union Minister Kaushal Kishore, BJP Lucknow President Anand Dwivedi, Councillor Bhrigunath Shukla, and youth social worker Neeraj Singh attended along with officials and members of the organising associations.
The event commenced with the National Anthem and lamp lighting ceremony, followed by greetings from Harsh Vardhan Agrawal, Managing Trustee of Help You Educational & Charitable Trust, who highlighted that Holi symbolizes love, harmony, and social unity. He emphasised the pivotal role of women in driving positive social change and inclusive development, stating that the event honours women who inspire society through service, dedication, and empowerment.
Trustee Dr. Rupal Agrawal stressed that recognising talented and committed women injects energy and motivation into the community. Dr. S.K. Srivastava and Sunita Jindal from the Resident Welfare Association highlighted how such initiatives foster cultural harmony, social cohesion, and community participation, while Lucknow Management Association representatives underscored the importance of promoting leadership, innovation, and excellence in society.
The programme’s highlight was the Women Honour 2026, where 15 remarkable women from fields including education, healthcare, administration, journalism, and social service were recognised. Awardees included Sarita Sharma, Dr. Taru Saxena, Prof. Manjula Upadhyay, Nisha Gupta, Prof. (Dr.) Aparna Mishra, Prof. (Dr.) Manju Agrawal, Akanksha Asthana, Anamika Yadav, Indu Bhadauria, Rachna Govil, Snigdha Ritesh, Dr. Shubha Shukla, Dr. Anjali Gupta, Major Anjana Srivastava, and Prof. (Dr.) Veena Singh. Each honouree received a memento and certificate of appreciation.
Cultural performances included Ganesh Vandana, Holika Dahan enactment, patriotic plays, and student performances from Amity University on women empowerment through drama, poetry recitals, and other artistic presentations, captivating the audience.
The event was hosted by Dr. Alka Nivedan and Manisha Pandey, and concluded with attendees playing flower Holi, symbolising love, harmony, and social unity. The organisers expressed heartfelt gratitude to all guests, participants, volunteers, and media representatives for making the event a grand success.
