Anouradha Bakshi (2009-10)
Anouradha Goburdhun Bakshi shunned all the luxuries of the world to hear the voice of her conscious which was asking her to answer the WHY within. A Baccalaureate from the University of Grenoble, she is working as a selfless spirit to unlock the floodgates to provide dignity to the underprivileged ones. She founded the Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust in 1998 and began its activities in the year 2000 in the slums of Giri Nagar, South Delhi to uplift the urban slum communities. Her Project WHY, which started with spoken English classes to just 40 slum kids, today, reaches out more than 800 children and has transformed the lives of many. Three early education programmes, one day care for 22 children and young adults with disabilities, primary and secondary school and other vocation programmes for women and differently- abled children brings in a true core of her fight to strengthen the poverty wounded segment in the social order. The alumni of her project, who are now able to sustain a better living, are the testimony of her conviction, contribution and care to the society.T. K. Mathew (2008-09)
After working in the department of horticulture and agriculture, Mr. Mathew worked for 14 years as the Director of Caritas India. He joined the "Sarva Seva Farms" movements and continuously worked there for 9 years. Mr. Mathew has been a very active member of the Karol Bagh St. Thomas Marthoma Church, and held the position of Secretary during 1978-79. He was instrumental in initiating Deepalaya in Delhi, along with 6 other Marthomites. Deepalaya has become the largest operating Social organization (NGO) in Delhi, working out of 76 slums in Delhi, 214 villages in Haryana and 16 villages in Uttaranchal. Mr. Mathew is also a board member of International Forum for Child Welfare, a network of NGOs from over 50 countries.