(Top L-R) Padma Chegondi, Hemangi Wadekar, Bhagyashree Barlingay, Labonee Mohanta (Bottom L-R) Shambhavi Dandekar, Shalini Govil-Pai, Asha Jadeja Motwani, Vinita Sud Belani / NAFA

The North American Film Association honored several Indian-origin women with its Women of Eminence Award at its third film festival in San Jose, California.

Held Aug. 7-9 at the California Theatre, the 2026 festival featured film screenings, premieres, masterclasses, workshops and an international awards night. This year's festival was themed “Honoring Her Canvas,” with a focus on women and their contributions to arts and culture.

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The recipients were Asha Jadeja Motwani, Vinita Sud Belani, Shambhavi Dandekar, Shalini Govil-Pai, Padma Chegondi, Labonee Mohanta, Hemangi Wadekar and Bhagyashree Barlingay.

Received the NAFA Women of Eminence Award. Thanks to NAFA for this recognition. pic.twitter.com/4iwB9id5bq

— Asha Jadeja Motwani (@ashajadeja) August 17, 2026

A Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Jadeja Motwani is the founder and president of the Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation. She has invested in technology companies while supporting entrepreneurship, education and initiatives connecting India and the United States.

Belani is the founder and artistic director of EnActe Arts, a national South Asian theater company, with more than 400 artists involved in its productions and programs. Its School of Drama educates more than 1,000 students annually.

She moved from a career in technology to theater after meeting French playwright and screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière in Paris. According to EnActe, a conversation about reviving his Mahabharata led Belani to leave technology and establish the theater company.

Dandekar, a Kathak performer, teacher and choreographer originally from Pune, is the founder-director of Shambhavi's International School of Kathak in Sunnyvale, California. The school offers in-person and online classes as well as a global distance-learning program.

She has performed in more than 120 cities across 13 countries during a 34-year performance career and has mentored dancers who have gone on to pursue Kathak professionally. She has also been recognized as one of the 101 Social Changemakers of Silicon Valley.

Govil-Pai is a technology and media executive and a senior Google TV executive. She has previously held senior positions at YouTube and Pixar Animation Studios. An IIT Bombay graduate, she has worked across technology, streaming media and digital storytelling.

Mohanta, a second-generation Indian American Kathak artist and founder of the Lavanya Academy of Indian Arts, trained under the late Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das and has built a career as a performer and teacher in the United States and internationally.

She has performed across the United States, Canada, India and Europe and trains students through her academy in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Wadekar, a playwright and actress associated with the California Arts Association, leads Sameep, CalAA's initiative focused on parallel theater activities, and manages the organization's podcast and audio channel. She has also directed children's theater productions and delivered poetry recitals.

Barlingay, a palliative care physician based in Phoenix, Arizona, has been involved in NAFA's filmmaking work and was one of the writers of Nirmalya, a short film produced by NAFA. The film follows an Indian family in the United States confronting a difficult decision involving their newborn child.

She has also worked on initiatives using storytelling and the arts to promote awareness of palliative care. She founded Akshaybhasha, a U.S.-based nonprofit supporting the work of Pallium India, and has used short plays and other storytelling formats for public education.

Chegondi, a California-based technology professional and community volunteer, has been involved with Sewa International's Bay Area chapter and participated in community-service initiatives. Sewa's Bay Area chapter listed Chegondi as a point of contact for its June 2026 “Cricket for Sewa” charity tournament, which supported the organization's health and wellness initiatives.

The Women of Eminence awards were part of NAFA's broader effort to establish a North American platform for Marathi cinema and cultural storytelling.

Founded by filmmaker Abhi Gholap, NAFA was established in 2024 with three core objectives: film production, distribution and festivals. Gholap's debut film Deool received India's National Film Award for Best Feature Film. He later turned his attention to building a Marathi film presence in North America.

NAFA says its membership has grown to more than 1,000 people and that it brings together artists, directors, choreographers, singers, poets, cinematographers, editors and other creative professionals. The organization has also conducted filmmaking workshops, masterclasses and other programs aimed at developing North American talent.

The 2026 festival was the organization's third edition and expanded its programming to include films, masterclasses, awards and newer forms of storytelling.

Discover more at New India Abroad.