IMRA Awards 2026 Opens National Call to Honour Outstanding Muslim Women
By: Thasmina Sookoor
The IMRA Foundation Guarantee Ltd. has officially announced the opening of applications and nominations for the 3rd edition of the IMRA Awards 2026, inviting entries from across Sri Lanka and overseas to recognize and celebrate exceptional Muslim women who have made meaningful contributions within their professions, industries and communities. The prestigious awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 6 September 2026 at 7.00 p.m. at The Kingsbury Colombo.
Established with the vision of redefining perceptions and increasing the visibility of Muslim women in Sri Lanka, the IMRA Awards have steadily evolved into a respected national platform that honours women who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, innovation and social impact across a broad spectrum of sectors. The initiative aims to spotlight women who have built successful careers, advanced industries, led transformative initiatives, contributed to academia and culture, established businesses, and uplifted communities, often without receiving the recognition their achievements truly deserve.
The IMRA Awards also aim to create a wider and more inclusive narrative around women’s contributions to society by highlighting stories of resilience, determination and achievement. Organisers state that the platform goes beyond awards and recognition, serving as a movement that encourages greater visibility for women role models while inspiring younger generations to pursue excellence and leadership within their own fields.
Over the years, the IMRA Awards have become increasingly recognised for celebrating women whose work has positively impacted society through professional excellence, entrepreneurship, creativity, advocacy and community development. The initiative also seeks to strengthen equality and diversity by promoting broader understanding across communities and fostering a sustainable network of inspiring achievers from different professional and social backgrounds.
Speaking on the launch of the 2026 edition, IMRA Foundation Director Fathima Aziz stated that the awards continue to provide an important platform to honour women whose work is already creating meaningful change within society. “IMRA Awards 2026 is a national call to recognise women whose work is already raising standards in their fields. Women across Sri Lanka are invited to apply, and we urge institutions and communities to nominate the leaders, professionals and changemakers whose achievements deserve to be seen and honoured,” she said.
Applications and nominations are open exclusively to Sri Lankan citizens. However, eligible applicants and nominees may currently reside in Sri Lanka or overseas. In an effort to ensure accessibility and encourage wider participation from all communities, application forms will be available in Sinhala, Tamil and English. According to the organisers, the selection process for the awards will be conducted under a clear and transparent evaluation framework designed to ensure fairness, credibility and professional standards throughout the process. Global professional services firm KPMG will once again serve as the knowledge partner and oversee the technical aspects of the evaluation process.
An eminent panel of judges representing diverse professional sectors and communities will review applications and shortlist finalists based on merit, impact and achievements within their respective categories. Finalists will subsequently face an interview panel before the final award recipients are selected.
Award Categories for IMRA Awards 2026
Professional Excellence Awards
Recognizing exceptional achievement, leadership and contribution within professional sectors:
I.Law
II.Healthcare
III.Finance & Accounting
IV.Education
V.Technology & IT
VI.Media & Communications
VII.Engineering
VIII.Social Services
IX.Hospitality & Tourism
Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards
Recognizing women led businesses that demonstrate:
- Innovation
- Strategic growth
- Ethical leadership
- Community impact
Environment & Social Impact Excellence Awards
Recognising initiatives that have created:
- Sustainable environmental impact
- Measurable social impact
- Community driven transformation
Arts & Culture Excellence Awards
Recognising contributions towards:
- Arts and creativity
- Cultural representation
- Heritage preservation
- Local and international cultural impact
Sports Performance & Achievements Excellence Awards
Honouring women who have demonstrated:
- Sporting excellence
- Leadership through sports
- National or international achievements
- Contribution to society through athletics
Organisers noted that the awards platform continues to expand in both scale and influence, creating opportunities for emerging and established women leaders to gain national recognition while also encouraging greater representation of Muslim women across multiple sectors of society. The IMRA Foundation further stated that the initiative seeks to challenge outdated perceptions and provide a platform where women’s professional accomplishments and contributions to national development can be acknowledged and celebrated publicly. The call for entries follows the successful IMRA Awards 2025, which aligned with the spirit of International Women’s Day and celebrated Muslim women who have made remarkable contributions across diverse fields.
Among the distinguished honourees at the 2025 edition were writer and publisher Ameena Hussein, Chair Professor of Microbiology at the University of Peradeniya Professor Faseeha Noordeen, wedding styling entrepreneur Hamna Kizar, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of English at the Open University of Sri Lanka Dr. Romola Rassool, National Tennis Champion Saajida Razick, pioneering television producer and director Zeenathul Shyama Yakoob, architect Shehla Latiff, lawyer and academic Shaheeda Barrie, and education innovator Rizka Naushad. The 2025 edition also recognized several distinguished women with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their longstanding contributions to society and their impact across professional and social spheres. Honourees included Anberiya Haniffa, Sunela Jayewardene, Sivanandini Duraiswamy, and Sandra Wanduragala. According to organisers, the recognition received through the IMRA Awards has also contributed towards building stronger professional visibility for recipients while encouraging greater engagement and mentorship opportunities for young women aspiring to excel within their respective fields.
Applications for IMRA Awards 2026 can be submitted by scanning the QR code included in official promotional material and campaign announcements. The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2026. Further information regarding eligibility criteria, application procedures and nomination guidelines can be obtained through the IMRA Foundation’s official communication channels.IMRA Awards 2026 Opens National Call to Honour Outstanding Muslim Women
By: Thasmina Sookoor
The IMRA Foundation Guarantee Ltd. has officially announced the opening of applications and nominations for the 3rd edition of the IMRA Awards 2026, inviting entries from across Sri Lanka and overseas to recognize and celebrate exceptional Muslim women who have made meaningful contributions within their professions, industries and communities. The prestigious awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 6 September 2026 at 7.00 p.m. at The Kingsbury Colombo.
Established with the vision of redefining perceptions and increasing the visibility of Muslim women in Sri Lanka, the IMRA Awards have steadily evolved into a respected national platform that honours women who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, innovation and social impact across a broad spectrum of sectors. The initiative aims to spotlight women who have built successful careers, advanced industries, led transformative initiatives, contributed to academia and culture, established businesses, and uplifted communities, often without receiving the recognition their achievements truly deserve.
The IMRA Awards also aim to create a wider and more inclusive narrative around women’s contributions to society by highlighting stories of resilience, determination and achievement. Organisers state that the platform goes beyond awards and recognition, serving as a movement that encourages greater visibility for women role models while inspiring younger generations to pursue excellence and leadership within their own fields.
Over the years, the IMRA Awards have become increasingly recognised for celebrating women whose work has positively impacted society through professional excellence, entrepreneurship, creativity, advocacy and community development. The initiative also seeks to strengthen equality and diversity by promoting broader understanding across communities and fostering a sustainable network of inspiring achievers from different professional and social backgrounds.
Speaking on the launch of the 2026 edition, IMRA Foundation Director Fathima Aziz stated that the awards continue to provide an important platform to honour women whose work is already creating meaningful change within society. “IMRA Awards 2026 is a national call to recognise women whose work is already raising standards in their fields. Women across Sri Lanka are invited to apply, and we urge institutions and communities to nominate the leaders, professionals and changemakers whose achievements deserve to be seen and honoured,” she said.
Applications and nominations are open exclusively to Sri Lankan citizens. However, eligible applicants and nominees may currently reside in Sri Lanka or overseas. In an effort to ensure accessibility and encourage wider participation from all communities, application forms will be available in Sinhala, Tamil and English. According to the organisers, the selection process for the awards will be conducted under a clear and transparent evaluation framework designed to ensure fairness, credibility and professional standards throughout the process. Global professional services firm KPMG will once again serve as the knowledge partner and oversee the technical aspects of the evaluation process.
An eminent panel of judges representing diverse professional sectors and communities will review applications and shortlist finalists based on merit, impact and achievements within their respective categories. Finalists will subsequently face an interview panel before the final award recipients are selected.
Award Categories for IMRA Awards 2026
Professional Excellence Awards
Recognizing exceptional achievement, leadership and contribution within professional sectors:
- Law
- Healthcare
- Finance & Accounting
- Education
- Technology & IT
- Media & Communications
- Engineering
- Social Services
- Hospitality & Tourism
Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards
Recognizing women led businesses that demonstrate:
- Innovation
- Strategic growth
- Ethical leadership
- Community impact
Environment & Social Impact Excellence Awards
Recognising initiatives that have created:
- Sustainable environmental impact
- Measurable social impact
- Community driven transformation
Arts & Culture Excellence Awards
Recognising contributions towards:
- Arts and creativity
- Cultural representation
- Heritage preservation
- Local and international cultural impact
Sports Performance & Achievements Excellence Awards
Honouring women who have demonstrated:
- Sporting excellence
- Leadership through sports
- National or international achievements
- Contribution to society through athletics
Organisers noted that the awards platform continues to expand in both scale and influence, creating opportunities for emerging and established women leaders to gain national recognition while also encouraging greater representation of Muslim women across multiple sectors of society. The IMRA Foundation further stated that the initiative seeks to challenge outdated perceptions and provide a platform where women’s professional accomplishments and contributions to national development can be acknowledged and celebrated publicly. The call for entries follows the successful IMRA Awards 2025, which aligned with the spirit of International Women’s Day and celebrated Muslim women who have made remarkable contributions across diverse fields.
Among the distinguished honourees at the 2025 edition were writer and publisher Ameena Hussein, Chair Professor of Microbiology at the University of Peradeniya Professor Faseeha Noordeen, wedding styling entrepreneur Hamna Kizar, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of English at the Open University of Sri Lanka Dr. Romola Rassool, National Tennis Champion Saajida Razick, pioneering television producer and director Zeenathul Shyama Yakoob, architect Shehla Latiff, lawyer and academic Shaheeda Barrie, and education innovator Rizka Naushad. The 2025 edition also recognized several distinguished women with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their longstanding contributions to society and their impact across professional and social spheres. Honourees included Anberiya Haniffa, Sunela Jayewardene, Sivanandini Duraiswamy, and Sandra Wanduragala. According to organisers, the recognition received through the IMRA Awards has also contributed towards building stronger professional visibility for recipients while encouraging greater engagement and mentorship opportunities for young women aspiring to excel within their respective fields.
Applications for IMRA Awards 2026 can be submitted by scanning the QR code included in official promotional material and campaign announcements. The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2026. Further information regarding eligibility criteria, application procedures and nomination guidelines can be obtained through the IMRA Foundation’s official communication channels.
