Recognition
Fixed points in her sky
India’s first award-winning independent lady kite designer, maker, and flier.
| Year | Recognition | Issuer | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | First Prize — Foreign Type Collage Work Kite, International Kite Festival | Gujarat Tourism | Ahmedabad |
| 2010 | First Prize — Foreign Type Painted Kite, International Kite Festival | Gujarat Tourism | Ahmedabad |
| 2011 | First Prize — Indian Type Painted Kite, International Kite Festival | Gujarat Tourism | Ahmedabad |
| 2013 | Special Achievement Award — Swayam Siddha 2013 | GCCI Business Women Wing | Ahmedabad |
| 2015 | Six kites accepted into the permanent collection | World Kite Museum | Korea |
| 2018 | Appreciation for traditional Ramayana and Mahabharata kites displayed in Jakarta for 70 years of India–Indonesia friendship | FICCI Gujarat State Council | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| 2019 | Best Artistic Kite | Portsmouth International Kite Festival | Portsmouth, United Kingdom |
| 2023 | Tribute kite bearing her picture, dedicated by fellow flyers at the Gujarat International Kite Festival | Fellow kite flyers | Ahmedabad |
| 2024 | Featured profile, Spring 2024 journal issue | American Kitefliers Association | — |
| 2025–26 | COWE India Excellence Award — Creative Manufacturing | Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India | Jaipur |
Recognition supports the work — it never replaces it. See the kites themselves →
Watch the coverage
National and regional television on her recognition — nothing plays until you press play; each video then loads YouTube’s player.
In the press, on the air
Selected coverage and her own channels — every link opens on the original platform.
“Kai Po Che: At 54, Bhavna Mehta soars high with her kites!”
The Mooknayak · 12 January 2023 · by Geetha Sunil Pillai
Open on The Mooknayak → (opens in new tab)Feature post“Bhavna Mehta … has emerged as one of India’s most celebrated kite artists, breaking through gender barriers”
The Hindu · LinkedIn · January 2025
Open on The Hindu → (opens in new tab)ReelReel from her Instagram
Instagram · @bhavna.s.mehta
Open on Instagram → (opens in new tab)ReelReel from her Instagram
Instagram · @bhavna.s.mehta
Open on Instagram → (opens in new tab)Press profileETV Bharat Gujarat meets Bhavna Mehta, honoured with the title ‘first woman kite flyer’
ETV Bharat · 8 January 2020 · Gujarati — reporting her invitation to fly from the Kite Society of Great Britain
Open on ETV Bharat → (opens in new tab)Press profile“International Women’s Day 2018 Special: Meet Bhavna Shailesh Mehta, India’s first ‘Woman Kite Flier’”
India TV · 8 March 2018
Open on India TV → (opens in new tab)Press profile“I found my star at the International Kite Festival, Ahmedabad”
Resfeber18 travel blog · 22 January 2017 · republished on her Kite Stories site
Open on Resfeber18 travel blog → (opens in new tab)“India’s first woman kitist gets global recognition”
DNA (dnaindia.com) · 9 February 2015 · by Aneri Nihalani — on six of her kites taking a permanent place at the World Kite Museum, Korea
Print editionSwayam Siddha 2013 — women entrepreneurs honoured by GCCI’s Women Wing
City Bhaskar (Divya Bhaskar), Ahmedabad · 4 July 2013 · Gujarati — her Special Achievement Award, with her account of moving from insurance work to kites and training women
Print editionBhavna S. Mehta on YouTube
Her channel — Kites, craft, and cooking — in her own voice.
Open on Her channel → (opens in new tab)