KVP Awardees 2010-11

Civil Society KVP - Disability

Syed Salahuddin Pasha

Syed Sallauddin Pasha is revered as 'Father of Indian Therapeutic Theatre for persons with disabilities'. He is a trained Bharatanatyam and Kathak Dancer and Choreographer, Theatre Director and Actor. He created Ability Unlimited- India's first professional traditional dance company to integrate highly skilled dance-theatre with sustainable development. For Guruji Pasha, theatre is the all-encompassing universal vehicle for his creative vision. As a therapist he has successfully conducted thought provoking therapeutic theatre workshops for people with disabilities, special educators, therapists, mental health professionals, universities, special needs institutions in India and Abroad. He was first one to conduct therapeutic workshop for the Tsunami victims (Andaman, Nikobari, Katchal and Ranchi tribes) at Anadman and Nikobar Islands. This project was commissioned by UNESSCO. For the past 25 years, through his innovative methodology, direction and choreography, he has efficiently executed 100 Mega Therapeutic Theatre Productions bringing hope, confidence and zest to the people with disabilities around the world. Guruji Pasha worked as international Scholar at Cornell University, Special pedagogic dance theatre director at many special schools in Finland. He is a recipient of National Award from the President of India for outstanding performance in the field of empowerment of persons with disabilities and world record holder from 'Limca Book of World Records' for creating 100 dance theatre productions and 10,000 performances by persons with disabilities across the globe. His pioneering efforts have won National and International recognition.

Civil Society KVP - Community Welfare

Jyothi Raj

Jyothi Raj's commitment and involvement with the poor and the destitute started at the tender age of 14. A post graduate degree in Sociology and a diploma in human resources management have furthered her desire to serve the people of India. Her pioneering work as the co-founder-director of the Rural Education for Development Society (REDS) has been recognized globally. Jyothi is also the co-founder of the Booshakthi Kendra Charitable Trust. She has addressed several conferences and conducted innumerable workshops both in India and abroad on rural development, empowerment of women and the social, financial and spiritual upliftment of Dalits. Jyothi puts her passion for social service into writing as well - she is the co-author of the famous books "Cosmosity" on Dalit spirituality, Dalitocracy and DYCHE, The Dalit Psyche and has penned several articles on various issues that afflict society. Jyothi has been awarded the Deshasnehi Award by the India Development Foundation, the Diwaliben Mohanlal Mehta Award, the CROWDS organization and the Voice of Dalit International in England.

Civil Society KVP - Community Welfare

M.C. Raj

Affectionately known as Appaji, M.C. Raj is the co-founder of the Rural Education for Development Society (REDS) and the Booshakthi Kendra, the International Dalit Cultural Center. Having devoted his life to the pursuit of providing Dalits with a voice, he has initiated numerous campaigns for the social upliftment of the downtrodden masses. Some recent initiatives include the World parliament of Indigenous Peoples, the Campaign for Electoral Reform and the Dalit CDM Project. His extensive writings on Dalits and the issues that concern them are widely read - Dalitology, A book of Dalit Science, Cosmosity, Dalithink - An Adventure into Dalit Philosophy; Dalitocracy, Theory and Practice of Dalit Politics; Dyche -The Dalit Psyche are only a few of his internationally recognized works. M.C. Raj received the Ambedkar International Award, 2009 for his book Dyche and the Ambedkar Award in 2001 from the Karnataka Government. He has addressed thousands of people at various conferences and gatherings globally and is credited with providing Dalit social, political and cultural issues with an international platform.

Civil Society KVP - Animal Welfare

Anuradha Sawhney

Anuradha Sawhney's love for animals and nature began in school, when she would go hungry as she fed her lunch to stray animals and birds. Throughout a flourishing corporate career, she remained involved in animal welfare issues. Anuradha joined PETA as assistant campaign coordinator in 2000, and was quickly promoted to Chief Functionary, a post that she held for 9 years. Under her leadership, PETA India is now a special Invitee to the Legal Sub Committee of the Animal Welfare Board of India, reported extensively on the malpractices in the leather industry (which led to an international boycott of Indian leather by over 40 companies), milk industry and chicken industry, managed the rescue of over 100 animals including lions and tigers, from circuses and zoos across the country, placing them in rescue centres, and successfully banned the entry of elephants into 16 states of India. Recipient of several awards, she is regarded as the leading authority by national and international media where animal rights and welfare issues for India are concerned.

Civil Society KVP - Animal Welfare

Pradeep Kumar Nath

Abha Singh is presently working as the Director Postal Services, Maharashtra and Goa, overlooking administration of more than thousands of Post Offices, departmental employees and GDS employees. She runs an NGO called "Rannsamar" through which she provides legal assistance to the slum dwellers and other needy people who are fighting against injustice in the society. She has also been making efforts to provide alternate sources of energy by putting solar panels in Post Offices to run computers in rural areas. She has taken special initiatives to appoint women for delivering post in Uttar Pradesh. She has been trying to bring attitudinal and behavioral change and has helped in improving the perception of the government in the eyes of the public. She believes that if the mechanism of governance becomes free from corruption and attitudinal elements; it can promote the cause of social justice in the most optimum manner, which shall be comprehensive in its coverage and scope. She was the only women to reach the Lead India Finals and was awarded a leadership course at London School of Economics. She is also assisted her husband Mr. Y.P. Singh in directing a film titled 'Kya Yahi Sach Hai - Is this the Truth' to invoke emotions of the dishonest, once they see the gory effect corruption can have on the system.

Civil Society KVP - Education, Health & Empowerement

Dr. Kiran Modi

Dr. Kiran Modi has been deeply involved in social service for more than 3 decades. Her deep interest in theatre and commitment to grooming the future of India- its children, led her to found Umang, a children's theatre group in New Delhi. Umang worked primarily with disadvantaged children. Dabbling briefly in television as a hostess and breakfast TV show presenter, she also launched Neighbourhood Star, New Delhi's first community newspaper. In 1994, Kiran initiated Udayan Care, an organization for parenting abandoned, orphaned and abused children. Udayan Care has several activities through which it takes care of underprivileged women and children - Udayan Ghars - the Residential Programme for orphaned and abandoned children, Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme, Udayan Care Computer training and Vocational Training Centres, the Udayan Outreach Programme, and Advocacy, volunteer and Internship programmes. Udayan, literally meaning eternal sunshine and care in Sanskrit, has transformed the lives of more than 7000 children across the country. The organization won the CSO Partners' Outstanding Annual Report Award for transparency and accountability in the non-profit sector two years in a row.

Civil Society KVP - Gender Issues

Harish Sadani

Harish Sadani has been passionately working in the field of social development for more than 2 decades. He is the founder-member and honorary secretary of MAVA (Men Against Violence and Abuse), which has been spearheading a movement in India since 1993 engaging men as key partners and change-agents in preventing gender-based violence against women. For the past 5 years, Harish has been running an innovative, landmark initiative with male youths, aged 16 - 20 years, sensitizing them on a wide range of gender and sexuality matters; using varied youth-friendly media like interactive workshops, games, film-screenings, street-theatre, wall newspapers, cultural magazine and youth helpline, and mentoring them to communicate with peers in their colleges and the larger community. This path-breaking work, aiming towards redefining of Masculinity, empowerment of Women and humanization of Men, is now being slowly spreading from rural Pune to Mumbai, Satara, Kolhapur and other parts of Maharashtra by a core team of highly motivated youth communicators. Harish is also a founder- trustee of Samvedan, an organization devoted to prevention, treatment, counseling and care of HIV / AIDS. Previously, Harish has worked for voluntary organizations like Child Relief and You (CRY) and Blind Men's Association. He has also managed the Corporate Social Responsibility Unit of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.

Civil Society KVP - Fundraising

Wg. Cdr Sasanka Roy Choudhury

With more than 19 years of experience in fundraising and resource mobilization at both the national and international levels, Mr. Choudhury is a very well-known and well-respected personality in the social development sector. A multi-lingual post graduate aeronautical engineer and diploma holder in sales and marketing management and in computer science and system analysis, he is presently the CEO of the Haemophilia Federation, India. Besides, he has been the Director, Resource Mobilization at Deepalaya, the Country Head, Resource Mobilization at Global Cancer Concern India and Help age India, and Senior Manager for Technology Development with Technology and Action for Rural Advancement (TARA), a high profile NGO engaged in finding technological solutions for environment protection, design and production of eco-friendly products for building materials, textiles amongst others. An active Rotarian, Mr. Choudhury is also on the board of the Delhi Chapter of the Alzheimer and Related Disorders Society of India, and associated with the I-Care Charitable Hospital, NOIDA and South Asian Fund Raising Group.

Civil Society KVP - Child Abuse

Pooja Taparia

Pooja Taparia conceptualized Arpan with a simple aim - to improve the lives of the underprivileged, by mobilizing the community to volunteer its time and money towards making at least a little difference in the lives of others. A few years later, Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse became the key mandate for Arpan, and the organization began conducting talks to spread awareness, reached out to housing societies, clubs, rotary clubs, and colleges and took on cases to enable survivors of child abuse to come to terms with their trauma and move on to lead fulfilling lives. Besides Arpan, Pooja devotes her time to volunteering for various social service organizations including the SPJ Sadhana School of the developmentally handicapped and the Sandipani Vidyaniketan in Gujarat. Her involvement with social issues was seen even in school and college where she raised large sums of money for the poor and the destitute through donation drives.