The Asian Weekly Achievers Awards are evolving with the times, with digital creators, young achievers and women taking centre stage alongside established business, sports and community leaders at the 2026 gala.
Held on August 29 at CU Shah Jain Bhavan in Nairobi, the annual awards brought together personalities from across the Asian community to celebrate achievements in business, entertainment, sports, fashion, philanthropy and other fields.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
One of the clearest signs of the changing landscape was the introduction of the Best Digital Creator of the Year award, won by content creator Shiksha Arora.
The new category reflects the growing prominence of digital personalities in Kenya’s entertainment and communications space, giving creators a platform alongside more traditional areas of achievement.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
Arora was among several personalities who emerged as major winners during the ceremony, with rally driver Tinashe Gatimu taking the Best Sports Personality – Female award and Angela Wambui winning Best Emcee of the Year.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
The awards also placed a strong spotlight on leadership and community contribution through the return of the Power Woman and Special Appreciation categories.
Azmina Pattni, Ratan Channa and Puja Samani were recognised under the Power Woman category, while United Asian Network (UAN), Festival of Friendship (FOF), India Kenya Chamber of Commerce (IKCC), Dr Hussein Bagha and Tejinder Ghatauray received Special Appreciation Awards.
The two categories, introduced at the 2024 edition, have now become a regular feature of TAWAA, recognising individuals and organisations for their leadership, philanthropy and contribution to the wider community.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
Business remained a major part of the awards, with Ravi Kumar Manghnani named Best Business Icon – Male and Akinyi Adongo taking the female award.
Dr Seema Sharma was recognised for her achievement in a specialised profession, while Shane Chandaria was named Best Young Achiever, highlighting the contribution of younger members of the community.
Sports and entertainment also featured prominently.
The Oshwal Premier League Women’s Cricket won Best Sports Event, while BMB’s Diwali Soiree with Madmen and Om Shanti Om – A Musical (Hindi with English Subtitles) won the international and local entertainment event categories respectively.
In the creative and lifestyle categories, DJ Yishika won for achievement in performing arts and music, while Rahi Shah and Dr Paras Rathod were named the Best Stylish Personalities in the female and male categories.
Duracoat AquaTech Rainshield Launch won Best Product/Brand Launch, while Chandaria Industries received the award for Best Creative Advert.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
The ceremony was hosted by returning emcee Bhargav Joshi and TAWAA newcomer Jeet Renjit.
The awards were determined through a public voting process overseen by a jury comprising Abhijeet Gupta, Dr Darshan Chandaria, Dr Aruna Varsani, Desiree Gomes, Khyati Rana, Gopal Savani and Prachi Panwaria. Former jury members Ritesh Barot and Meera Pandit served as advisers for the 2026 edition.
Organised by The Asian Weekly, the awards seek to bring together Kenya’s Asian communities and recognise personalities, organisations, products and events that have made an impact over the previous year.
Photo courtesy of The Asian Weekly.
With digital content creation and youth achievement now featuring prominently alongside established categories, the 2026 awards signalled a broader definition of success within the community — one that extends beyond traditional business and professional achievement to include influence, creativity, leadership and cultural contribution.
