Founder and Managing Director of Bengawan Solo Anastasia Tjendri-Liew and Chief Representation Officer of Pro Bono Sadhana Rai named Her World Women of the Year 2025
Singapore, 30 October 2025 – Founder and Managing Director of Bengawan Solo, Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew, clinched the title of Her World Woman of the Year 2025, while Chief Representation Officer of Pro Bono SG, Ms Sadhana Rai, was named Her World Young Woman Achiever 2025. Both women were honoured at the Her World Women of the Year 2025 gala dinner today.
A pioneer in preserving heritage through food, Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew has turned a humble home-based baking business into Bengawan Solo, now a household name with more than 40 outlets across Singapore. Having prioritised quality and authenticity, the 78-year-old has established Bengawan Solo as a cultural landmark with a loyal following that includes international celebrities.
Ms Tjendri-Liew is also a strong advocate for education and entrepreneurship, and has made significant contributions to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, and Singapore Management University.
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2025 is Ms Sadhana Rai, a prominent 38-year-old Singaporean lawyer known for her unwavering commitment to social justice and equitable access to legal support. She extends legal aid to overlooked communities, and closes systemic gaps to ensure that justice truly serves everyone, and not just the privileged few.
As Chief Representation Officer at Pro Bono SG, Ms Rai leads the organisation’s legal practice and key initiatives such as the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. She ensures high service standards, develops the next generation of legal practitioners, and advocates for Singapore’s most vulnerable communities.
Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew and Ms Sadhana Rai were recognised for their outstanding contributions at the Her World Women of the Year 2025 gala dinner graced by Guest-of-Honour, Chancellor of the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Mdm Halimah Yacob. Details of the winners can be found in Annex A.
In conjunction with Her World’s 65th anniversary, a special retrospective exhibition titled “Defining Eras, Inspiring Change” was held at the event. The exhibition showcased past iconic Her World covers, and how the magazine has captured the evolving role of women in Singapore via editorial stories and initiatives over the years.
The annual Her World Woman of the Year and Young Woman Achiever Awards recognise and celebrate outstanding women in Singapore whose achievements and influence impact their immediate professional space and inspire the community. After months of public nominations and a rigorous selection process, the winners were selected by a judging panel chaired by Ms Jennie Chua, entrepreneur and Chairman of Temasek Foundation, and Her World Woman of the Year 1999. More information on the awards and judging panel can be found in Annex B.
Ms Elizabeth Lee, Editor-in-Chief of Her World, said, “Anastasia Tjendri-Liew and Sadhana Rai embody the resilience and heart of the Singapore spirit—one built on perseverance, purpose, and compassion. Whether through the legacy of a homegrown brand that unites generations or the pursuit of justice that uplifts lives, both women remind us that true strength lies in service, integrity, and an indomitable will to make a difference.”
Her World Woman of the Year 2025, Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew, said, “I am very honoured to receive Her World’s Woman of the Year Award, and I am humbled to even be considered, among women who are making such powerful contributions to our communities and beyond.”
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2025, Ms Sadhana Rai, said, “I’m deeply honoured to receive the Her World Young Woman Achiever Award 2025. This recognition is a powerful reminder that progress is never the work of one person alone. It belongs to everyone who believes in the power of access to justice. I’m grateful to my colleagues at Pro Bono SG, MWLC, and the SPCA; my mentors who have shaped my journey; and to the clients who remind me every day why this work matters. This award strengthens my resolve to ensure that access to justice remains not only an enduring principle, but a lived reality for all.”
Both award winners are featured in the October 2025 issue of Her World, which is available at newsstands and on herworld.com.
The Her World Women of the Year 2025 gala dinner is organised by SPH Media, with support from official partners Cle de Peau Beaute, Shopee, Singtel, and Resorts World Sentosa.
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ANNEX A
Profile of Winner – Her World Woman of the Year 2025
Photo credit: Phyllicia Wang
Her World Woman of the Year 2025 – Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew, Founder and Managing Director of Bengawan Solo
Ms Anastasia Tjendri-Liew turned a humble home-based baking business in 1975 into Bengawan Solo, now a household name with more than 40 outlets across Singapore. The iconic Singapore brand is best known for its signature pandan chiffon cake and traditional kueh. A pioneer in preserving heritage through food, Ms Tjendri-Liew prioritised quality and authenticity over overseas expansion, establishing Bengawan Solo as a cultural landmark with a loyal following that includes international celebrities.
Ms Tjendri-Liew had broken new ground in Singapore’s F&B industry by setting up a 10,000 sq ft central kitchen to streamline operations. Credited for introducing pillow-shaped pineapple tarts in Singapore, Ms Tjendri-Liew was the first woman to receive the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises’ Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1998. She was also a recipient of the Public Service Medal in 2008 and Public Service Star in 2013.
Ms Tjendri-Liew is also a strong advocate for education and entrepreneurship. She established the Anastasia Liew Study Award at Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2023, supporting full-time first-year Singaporean undergraduates facing financial hardships. She also marked Bengawan Solo’s 45th anniversary with a $100,000 donation to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund, benefitting children from low-income families, and contributed $100,000 each to educational initiatives at Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, and SMU.
Profile of Winner – Her World Young Woman Achiever 2025
Photo credit: Phyllicia Wang
Her World Young Woman Achiever 2025 – Ms Sadhana Rai, Chief Representation Officer at Pro Bono SG
Ms Sadhana Rai is a prominent Singaporean lawyer known for her unwavering commitment to social justice and equitable access to legal support. By extending legal aid to overlooked communities, she is closing systemic gaps and ensuring that justice truly serves everyone, not just the privileged few. As Chief Representation Officer at Pro Bono SG, she leads the organisation’s legal practice and key initiatives, such as the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS), Family Justice Support Scheme, and Ad Hoc Pro Bono Scheme. She ensures high service standards, develops the next generation of legal practitioners, and advocates for Singapore’s most vulnerable communities.
Ms Rai began her career as a commercial litigator at Drew & Napier LLC under Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, before joining the inaugural batch of CLAS Fellows in 2015, marking her start in full-time pro bono work. She not only represents clients in court, but also mentors young lawyers through The Law Society of Singapore’s Advocacy Committee, the CLAS Training Programme, and the Lady Advocates Group, a professional network supporting women in law. Ms Rai also played a key role in launching the Migrant Workers’ Law Centre this year - Singapore’s first dedicated legal clinic for migrant workers, offering free legal advice and representation.
She has been serving as the Honorary Secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals since 2022, championing animal welfare alongside her legal advocacy. Her career is also marked by historic firsts: Ms Rai was the first full-time pro bono lawyer and first woman to receive the Joseph Grimberg Outstanding Young Advocate Award in 2023, and the first practising lawyer named to the National Council of Social Service’s 40-Under-40 leadership programme. For her enduring impact in the legal field, Ms Rai received the Excellence Award at the Social Service Professional Awards 2025.
ANNEX B
About Her World Woman of the Year Award
Since 1991, the Her World Woman of the Year Award has recognised and celebrated outstanding women in Singapore, and it has become one of the most established and recognisable awards with a distinguished list of winners. In 1999, the Her World Young Woman Achiever Award was created to honour remarkable women aged 35 and below – women whose influence impacts their immediate professional space and who inspire the community we live in.
Her World Woman of the Year Award
The Her World Woman of the Year Award honours a visionary whose achievements have given rise to an everlasting change in the community.
- The candidate must represent and project the best of Singapore, at home or abroad.
- Her exceptional achievements must have made a broad impact on society or an industry.
- She should be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
Her World Young Woman Achiever Award
The Her World Young Woman Achiever Award recognises an accomplished young woman who is unafraid of challenging conventional limits.
- The candidate should demonstrate the potential to attain an even higher level of success in her chosen field.
- She is 40 years old or below at the point of nomination.
- She should be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
Judging Panel
The winners were selected by a judging panel, after being shortlisted from a public nomination from December 2024 to February 2025. Chaired by Ms Jennie Chua, entrepreneur and Chairman of Temasek Foundation, and 1999 Woman of the Year winner, the judging panel includes:
- Ms Khor Siew Kim, Head, Secretariat & Legal, SPH Media
- Ms Caecilia Chu, Co-Founder, YouTrip
- Mr Jerold Ng, Director in Group COO Office, Sea
- Ms Junie Foo, Chairperson of the Singapore Kindness Movement, and immediate past president of Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations
- Mr Ng Boon Heong, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation
- Ms Pat Law, Founder, Goodstuph
- Mr Tony Soh, Chief Executive Officer, National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre
- Ms Yvonne Mak, Advisor, Young Women's Leadership Connection