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.