| ITA Award for Best Actress in a Drama - Popular | |
| Awarded For: | Best Performance by an Actress on Television (Popular) |
| Sponsor: | Indian Television Academy |
| Firstawarded: | 2001 |
| Lastawarded: | 2023 |
| Holder Label: | Recent Winner |
| Holder: | Tejasswi Prakash |
| Award1 Type: | Total awarded |
| Award1 Winner: | 23 |
| Award2 Type: | First Winner |
| Award2 Winner: | Smriti Irani for Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2001) |
| Award3 Type: | Last Winner |
| Award3 Winner: | Tejasswi Prakash for Naagin 6 (2023) |
| Website: | http://indiantelevisionacademy.com |
ITA Award for Best Actress in a Drama - Popular is an award given by the Indian Television Academy as a part of its annual event to the female actor who receives the highest votes.
First awarded in 2001, the award was originally named Desh Ki Dhadkan but was later renamed.
As of 2019, Smriti Irani has won the award 5 times out of the 6 nominations she received from 2001 to 2006. Hina Khan and Surbhi Chandna have won 2 awards out of the 3 nominations they received. Sakshi Tanwar and Shweta Tiwari have 8 and 7 nominations, but have not won a single award. In 2004, Smriti Irani and Mona Singh, while in 2008 Parul Chauhan and Sara Khan shared the award.
| Year | Photo | Actress | Character | Show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Surbhi Chandna | Bani Sharma | Naagin 5 | |
| Shraddha Arya | Preeta Arora | Kundali Bhagya | ||
| Rupali Ganguly | Anupamaa | Anupamaa | ||
| Helly Shah | Riddhima Raisinghania | Ishq Mein Marjawan 2 | ||
| 2021 | Rupali Ganguly | Anupamaa | Anupamaa | |
| Shivangi Khedkar | Pallavi Rao | Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali | ||
| Ashi Singh | Meet Hooda | |||
| Helly Shah | Riddhima Raisinghania | Ishq Mein Marjawan 2 | ||
| Mallika Singh | Radha | RadhaKrishn | ||
| 2022 | Pranali Rathod | Akshara Goenka | Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai | |
| Tejasswi Prakash | Pratha Gujral | Naagin 6 | ||
| Gulki Joshi | Haseena Malik | Maddam Sir | ||
| Niyati Fatnani | Ginni Grewal | Channa Mereya | ||
| Mallika Singh | Radha | RadhaKrishn | ||
| 2023 | Tejasswi Prakash | Pratha Gujral | Naagin 6 | |
| Shivangi Joshi | Aradhana Sahni | Barsatein – Mausam Pyaar Ka | ||
| Aditi Sharma | Katha Singh | Katha Ankahee | ||
| Pranali Rathod | Akshara Goenka | Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai | ||
| Ashi Singh | Meet Hooda |