- DISABILITY
Anjlee Agarwal (2009-10)
Anjlee Agarwal, Founder & Executive Director of Samarthyam is involved in disseminating Accessibility Awareness through a novel model which primarily focuses on enabling inclusion of persons with disabilities to access education, tourism, transportation and environment, devoid of any hindrance. Learning from painful struggles and social stigma Anjlee, a disabled Activist and Access Consultant, realized that most of the tourist sites lacks accessibility for disabled and the elderly. She has been catalyst in re-designing the infrastructure set up of Dilli Haat, Delhi Metro Stations, Bus Rapid Transit System, Bus stops and many more public places to make them more users friendly and universally accessible. Furthermore, she is striving hard to get persons with disabilities recognized in the mainstream society by empowering them on disability issues and taking up research projects on Right of Way, Pedestrian infrastructure and Transit systems. As Master Trainer, she continues her work with to sensitize public & stake holders; capacity building of community and bring a wave of celebration in the human race which crosses the boundaries of differences.
Sanjeev Sachdeva (2009-10)
Honorary Founder and Project Director of Samarthyam, Mr, Sanjeev Sachdeva has been working for the disabled with utmost sincerity. He is presently working on various projects to promote barrier free environment for disabled persons. Since 1996, he has successfully organized more than 60 tours for persons with sever disabilities promoting the concept of Barrier-Free Tourism. In Samarthyam, he has been actively involved with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation thereby promoting a user-friendly system for all. He has been responsible for organizing several workshops and conferences and has been successful over time in spreading awareness and gathering much needed attention towards the issue of accessibility.
Divya Arora (2008-09)
As a differently-abled person, Divya Arora had to face struggle and painful blows of society’s social stigma, humiliation and attitude of non-acceptance. With determination to put an end to all this, she chose the entertainment industry as an actress, director and writer, to bring about awareness and create sensitivity for the cause through theatre. Divya Arora has taken on the lead role on a wheelchair with equal zest, only to achieve the described aim - travel with a meaningful production across frontiers and request society to encourage, promote and support the continuity of the same. She is also empanelled with India’s largest cultural organization - the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as an artist, director and actor representing the country on the global cultural map.Shanti Raghavan ( 2007-08)
She is the Founder and Managing Trustee of Enable India. Her first encounter with disability was when her brother became visually impaired. After his successful rehabilitation, she established Enable India with her husband to help people with disability live wholesome lives. Since then, she has “enabled” rehabilitation and employment opportunities for numerous people with disabilities, and aims at helping them to create a confident and independent future for themselves.- HIV
Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing (2009-10)
Dr.Chinkholal Thangsing is currently the Asia Pacific Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation and heads programs in India, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Nepal. He is a clinician, an activist and a management expert who has been dedicated to his work in the field of HIVAIDS since 1990. He has dedicated his career, personal life and resources to the fight against HIV/AIDS and has contributed to the treatment of over 15000 patients in India and Asia region. With over 25 years of medical experience, he has been successful in providing treatment consultations, conducting training workshops, spreading awareness on HIV management, sensitization and education of healthcare professionals, provision of ARVs drugs to people living with HIV\AIDS. An excellent communicator, he has immense flair and faith in the quality work that he does
Dr. Ashok Rau (2008-09)
Dr. Rau is an exemplary example of positivity and a change agent, who has helped in creating awareness and de-stigmatisation of AIDS/HIV. Dr. Rau is the founder of Freedom Foundation. He consults and supports PLWHAs and works for the recognition of their rights. He is an MA (Psychology) and PhD, and his approach to HIV/AIDS is marked by compassion for humanity and the recognition of the rights of deprived communities and individuals. He was appointed by the Honourable President of India to join the National AIDS committee and the technical Resource Group on Legal & Ethical issues on HIV/AIDS. Today, the foundation is considered to be the largest service delivery NGO in substance abuse and HIV/AIDS sector in India. It has also spread its reach to countries like Nigeria and Botswana.- HEALTH
Dr. K Srinath Reddy (2009-10)
Dr. K Srinath Reddy is presently the President of the Public Health Foundation of India. He has shown exemplary social commitment in advancing public health on many fronts by enhancing health awareness among youth through innovative programs like HRIDAY-SHAN, spearheading national and global movements for tobacco control, conducting worksite based on health promotion programs across India, assisting National Human Rights Commission of India in advancing health as a human right and finally establishing the Public Health Foundation of India. Through his dedication and hard work, he desires to bring about a revolution in our country’s overall health response.
- EDUCATION
Manju Bharatram (2009-10)
Mrs. Bharat Ram is the Founder and Chairperson of the innovative Shri Ram Schools in India, which started with the objective of developing each student’s potential to the fullest by giving equal emphasis to academics with cultural and social activities. She is also the Chairperson of Educare, a non-profit consultancy working to transform school education by incorporating relevant competencies for the future, through workshops, seminars to name a few. Mrs. Bharat Ram has also been working for children with disabilities and the blind for over forty years now. She has been involved in fund raising, planning and vocational training for the underprivileged children. She is currently on the board of LEAD International – a global organization committed to Sustainable Development through capacity building and issue-oriented action projects. Her diverse efforts for so long have been duly recognized and appreciated over the length and bredth of our country.
- COMMUNITY WELFARE
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.- FUND RAISING
Noshir Dadrawala (2009-10)
Mr.Noshir is presently the CEO of the Mumbai based Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy and has been involved in this field for nearly a quarter of a century, building capacity for the voluntary sector across the country through training programs, consultancy service (mostly pro bono), writing and publishing useful resource books and enabling the growth of philanthropy by promoting research, networks and healthy partnerships across all sectors. He exploited the hidden potential and good intentions of the voluntary sector and provided it with professionalism and management skills to operate in a manner that could prove accountable, transparent and within the framework of the complex charity laws in this country. Mr.Noshir has also been involved in conducting various capacity building workshops across the country. He is trustee of Charities Aid Foundation (India), Resource Alliance (India), India Sponsorship Committee, Make A Wish Foundation (India), Chronic Care Foundation, Forbes Foundation and the Bombay Parsi Panchayat.General Surat Sandhu (2008-09)
SAFRG is the only Indian NGO working in Capacity Building and creating Fundraisers. In the last 4 years Gen. Sandhu has lifted this fledgling organization to a reputable NGO. He has conducted three very successful International Workshops, re-establishing the need to create greater awareness and a movement towards recognising fundraising as a career in India and South Asia. Gen. Sandhu, through his work, has been able to bring home to NGOs the importance and urgency with which fundraising has to be incorporated in their work. Gen. Sandhu took pre-mature retirement from the Army to become the Director General at HelpAge India. He has done extensive work in the Super Cyclone in Orrisa, the Bhuj Earthquake and recently during the Tsunami in South Asia. He remains committed to the betterment of the voluntary sector and is determined to make a huge change in the sector.- EDUCATION, HEALTH AND EMPOWERMENT
Mamoon Akhtar (2009-10)
Mamoon Akhtar is the Founder-Secretary of Samaritan Help Mission, a voluntary, non-profit organization located in Tikiapara, one of the worst slums of Howrah. SHM is committed for the empowerment of poor children and women through education, vocational training, and spreading health awareness through its health centre and by providing micro-finance to needy women and turning them into small scale entrepreneurs. His mantra in life is to ‘Never, Never, Never Give up’ and he firmly believes that change will come and he constantly works towards it. He has been actively involved in trying to bring a change in the Muslim community through education and empowerment. His objective is to infuse nationalistic feeling in the children from Childhood through education. Mamoon is a true nationalist and humanist and has been trying his best to bring the Muslim community in the main stream of national progress. He has politely but firmly turned down the offers of help exclusively for the education or welfare of the Muslim children. All SHM projects are open to all community and religions and no distinction is made on the basis of caste, community or religion. Promoting women empowerment by boosting their earning capacity and economic independence and family planning are the other two issues he has been passionately working for. He has been
featured in the most prominent English Newspaper of India viz. Times of India on 25th December 2005 in the special report entitled “India’s Idols - Uncommon Heroes: Legends In Our Midst”. He is one of the six heroes selected from all over India.
Shobha Murthy (2008-09)
Shobha Murthy, the founder trustee of Aarambh, a Navi Mumbai based NGO working for empowerment of communities of migrants, has over 12 years of dedicated experience in social work. By profession she is an accountant - auditor with over 10 years of corporate experience. She has quit her corporate career, and is working among the tribals of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Today, under her guidance, Aarambh works with over 2000 families of poor migrants in areas of education, health and empowerment. 2000 children have access to free education in government and private schools. Youth have found jobs in large and well known corporates such as Sandoz P Ltd, JP Morgan Chase, etc. More than 400 women are self employed and operate their own bank accounts. Several foreign universities send their MBA and Social Work students to Aarambh, to study their approach to community empowerment.- WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND CHILD LABOUR
Nusrat Naqvi (2008-09)
Rising with immense struggle from lower middle class society, Nusrat Naqvi has been working for the education of deprived children, women empowerment and child labour. Devoting sixteen years of rich and extensive years in these areas, Nusrat Naqvi stands out as an emblem of immense dedication towards the cause and works hard to achieve her goals successfully. She has actively contributed to various institutes, programmes such as Ajmer Prodh Shikshan Samity, PIPFPD; handled various projects related to women empowerment, child labour, Education etc. She has actively participated in uncountable voluntary work regarding these issues and has brought about a lot of development and change in these sectors over the years.- ANIMAL WELFARE & ENVIRONMENT
Nigel Otter(2008-09)
Nigel Otter believes that every act counts and that every single individual can make a difference, if they really want. He is an outstanding example of that himself, working selflessly for the cause of animals and nature, never leaving an unjustified issue not attended. He has tremendous and numerous achievements in stopping illegal poaching of elephants, illegal tapping of electricity, stopping stone quarrying, exposing hunting of livestock and stopping poisoning of tigers. Nigel has dedicated his life for the welfare of animals and nature in the Nilgiris. His work and achievements in the fields of animal health, welfare and nature conservation have directly benefited thousands of people in the rural villages in the Nilgiris. He doesn’t just believe in a better world but he actually makes the world better everyday through his actions.- WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Geeta Seshamani (2009-10)
Co – Founder of Wildlife SOS, an NGO and Vice-President of Friendicoes SECA (Society for Eradication of Cruelty to Animals), Geeta Seshamani believes that we must do all we can to protect and conserve the rich array of wildlife, which calls the habitats of India its home. She has been deeply involved with animal welfare and wildlife conservation for over thirty years. Her efforts towards her cause have been well appreciated and successful over the length and breadth of the country. Through her organizations, she has established the first Stray Animal Birth control centre, organized several animal welfare-training programs across India and established various sanctuaries, facilities and centres in collaboration with the state governments and forest departments. Her work also serves to uplift people, giving them opportunities they may never otherwise have known. Be it the tongawallas, or the Kalandars and saperas, Mrs. Geeta Seshamani has constantly tried to generate income for them by the intervention of free education, free veterinary services and opportunities to earn better. It is her passion for her cause that has successfully been able to convert men from hardcore poachers to extremely caring people, when it comes to Wildlife, by teaching them how to handle animals delicately and carefully. With over thirty years of her involvement for her cause, it is safe to say that her work has inspired others to follow the path of peaceful co-existence.Kartick Satyanarayan (2009-10)
Mr.Kartick Satyanarayan is the co-founder of Wildlife SOS and a partner at Friendicoes SECA (Society for Eradication of Cruelty to Animals). According to him, protecting, helping and conserving wildlife in India must be prioritized as humans and animals must co-exist. It is because of this that his work symbolizes “social justice and citizen action”. An interesting work to his credit is that of convincing the Kalandars (a tribe) to give up poaching of bear cubs from the wild in exchange of providing their children with free education and providing them with an alternative livelihood. His organization constantly fights poaching through a network of informers across the country. While Mr.Kartick’s and his organization’s primary focus is animals and wildlife, they also work to serve and uplift people, giving then opportunities they may never have known otherwise. Despite the major skepticism that he faces at every step, he leaves no stone unturned to make his efforts worthwhile.Nanda Rana (2007-08)
He runs Bandhavgar Jungle Camp, the first privately operated jungle safari in India. A wildlife enthusiast specializing in tigers, he spends most of his time in the forests, tracking and photographing tigers, and also filming them. His work on conservation and films on tigers have been widely recognized and applauded. He has joined hands with National Geographic, Discovery, BBC, etc. in the past as a Wildlife Consultant.Dr. Latika Nath Rana (2007-08)
She is one of India’s foremost experts on tigers, and the first woman to be awarded a doctorate in tiger conservation. One of the few women in a male-dominated environment, she is deeply committed to the cause of the tigers. Dubbed “The Tiger Princess” by National Geographic, she works closely with her husband Nanda Rana in the forests of Kathmandu.- PEACE AND HARMONY
Armando Gonsalves (2009-10)
Mr.Armando Gonsalves is presently the owner of Heritage Jazz, Trancemedia, Armando Gonsalves & Associates and the Chairman of Spirit of Goa Charitable Trust. Through Heritage Jazz shows he has conducted several fundraising programs for Tsunami victims, National Association for the Blind, orphanages and various NGO’s in Goa. He is closely involved with the Heritage field especially towards bringing more attention to the heritage homes in Goa, many of which are in a state of ruin. For this, he has personally forfeited business profits to ensure that this heritage continues. Environment protection and fund raising for musicians and sportsmen are the other areas that he has been deeply involved with. He has been continuously involved with taking music and quality education to schools via various workshops. Through his Spirit of Goa organization, he organized a peace concert and several candle light vigils post the 26\11 terror attacks in Mumbai – all of which revolved around the common agenda of Peace.
- CANCER
Harmala Gupta(2008-09)
In 1996, Harmala founded CanSupport, an organization that has delivered high quality and compassionate care, free of cost, to more than 12000 cancer patients and their families. She has tried to create a caring and supportive society, where people with cancer and their families live with dignity, hope and comfort.- CARE FOR THE ELDERLY
Sailesh Mishra (2008-09)
Sailesh Mishra aspires to provide wide range of need-based services for all the elderly, irrespective of social and financial background. True to his motto, "Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you”, he works to strengthen their legitimate place in society and help them to live with purpose, dignity and peace. Sailesh is addressing the problem through his website Silver Innings (www.silverinnings.com) and by starting an NGO for the elderly called ‘Silver Inning Foundation’. - SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS AND CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST
Sharad Sharma (2009-10)
Sharad Sharma is currently a Delhi based free-lance cartoonist and comics’ trainer. He is the founder and current Secretary General of World Comics India, an organization which promotes comics as a communication tool in remote and difficult areas. His endeavor has been to reflect, through his work, various current social issues that require attention. His work has been appreciated both nationally and internationally. Mr. Sharma was awarded an Ashoka Fellowship in 2005 for introducing Grassroots Comics as a socially innovative development communication tool and Real Heroes Award-2008 instituted by CNN IBN. Most of his comic workshops have been organized for activists working in NGOs and involved with various movements. Some of the issues that he has worked for are Human Rights, Children’s Rights, Farmer’s Issues, Youth Issues, The Disabled and Tribal’s Rights to name a few. His cartoon strip Developmentoon deals with the issue of development.
Meenakshi Madhwani (2008-09)
Meenakshi set up Vanashakti in August 2007, to educate people about the impact of the Forest Rights Act. This was a public information initiative. Soon after the success of this venture she conceptualized SAC - Spatial Access Communications - a Communications Consultancy that works exclusively for not-for-profits & NGOs. She advocates the theory that the power of one is very real and one person can in fact make a difference. With this conviction & commitment, she has set off to test her ideals & beliefs. The idea has got overwhelming support and she has confidence that she will strive to make a difference.- SOCIAL VENTURE MENTORING
Varun Sahni (2008-09)
Varun Sahni is the Director of Acumen Fund, India. Acumen Fund is a NewYork based global social venture capital fund that invests debt and equity in enterprises, having developed goods and services for low income communities in the water, health, housing and energy sectors. He is responsible for Acumen Fund’s global pipeline of investments, ensuring deal movement to the global investment committee. Earlier he was a consultant in project Shakti in Hindustan Lever Ltd. He developed partnership networks with multiple NGO’s and State Governments to scale project Shakti’s direct distribution network to over 35,000 villages, through 12,000 entrepreneurs. He was a programme associate with Care India. Designed proposals and secured USD 6 Million in funding from UK and US based multilateral donor agencies for projects in enterprise development and disaster mitigation. - ENTREPRENEURSHIP/TRANSFORMATION
Emmanuel Upputuru (2009-10)
Emmanuel Upputuru is currently the National Creative Director of Publicis India. He has been in the advertising industry for around fifteen years now. However one genre that has always been close to his heart is the social sector. And throughout his career he has developed pro-bono campaigns for clients like Sambhavna Trust that was founded for Bhopal Gas Tragic victims, National Association for the Blind and Action Aid campaign for the marginalized sections of the society and an award-winning domestic violence campaign for Breakthrough. It is through his communication skills, that he has been promoting citizen action. Lately this has been done through his ‘Let Gandhi Talk’ campaign for ‘In Gandhi’s Shoes’ project. He believes that connecting people to Gandhi’s example of nonviolent leadership is the best way to promote citizen action, as it provides a more accessible model of leadership and change that is open to all. This campaign has not only started a new conversation around Gandhi in schools and colleges but also won laurels at Cannes Award Festivals – the Oscars of advertising. He believes that it is important to inspire young people to explore options of nonviolent change and leadership to build a better world around us.
Shailendra Uniyal(2009-10)
Shailendra Uniyal has worked as an advertising copywriter, documentary filmmaker, television producer and program manager for the cricket for peace project. It is through his communication skills, that he has been promoting citizen action lately. This has been done through the ‘Let Gandhi Talk’ campaign and ‘In Gandhi’s Shoes’ project. Mr.Shailendra believes that connecting people to Gandhi’s example of nonviolent leadership is the best way to promote citizen action as it provides a more accessible model of leadership and change that is open to all. This campaign has not only started a new conversation around Gandhi in schools and colleges but also won laurels at Cannes Award Festivals – the Oscars of advertising. He believes that it is indeed important to inspire young people to explore options of nonviolent change and leadership to build a better world around us.
Rajendra Misra (2008-09)
R K Misra, an IIT Kanpur/ Tokyo University graduate, has been a serial entrepreneur. Having spent substantial time in Japan, where he completed his master’s degree and started his first business venture, Rajendra decided to move back to India in 1995. He established SAHYOG – Indian Council for Public Private Partnership, a PPP advocacy organization to facilitate policy framework and implementation of PPP initiatives across the country. He took a constructive and socially responsible approach to deliver Karnataka’s first set of PPP projects by building 3 major four lane roads (measuring around 30 Kms, costing in excess of Rs. 30 Crores) in most congested corridors, involving large sums of money and coordination. This experiment was first of its kind in the country, where road users and beneficiaries paid for 50% of the cost. In 2008, he was also chosen as the winner of Lead India initiative of Times of India. Rajendra is now working on the Change India Movement, founded by him.- RESPONSIBLE AND INVOLVED PHILANTHROPY
Rohini Nilekani (2009-10)
Ms. Rohini Nilekani is the Founder-Chairperson of ARGHYAM, a charitable trust that supports endeavours in equity in access to water for all. She is also the Founder Chairperson of Pratham Books, which seeks to democratize the joy of reading for children. With 175 titles in up to 10 languages, Pratham Books has reached good books to millions of children. She is one of India’s “New Philanthropists”. Rohini was also Chairperson, Akshara Foundation which works in elementary education in Karnataka. She also sits on the boards of many non-profit organizations and funds work in education, health, the environment, microfinance etc. Last, but not the least, she has also received various laurels as a recognition of her credible work towards the society. Forbes Asia named her as one among 48 Heroes of Philanthropy in 2008 and 2009. Rohini believes it is a responsibility of the wealthy to play a role in reducing the inequity’s of the society and is always looking for ways to give back and give forward.