Priyadarshni Academy’s 34th Anniversary Global Awards 2018 honours stalwarts

Actor Anushka Sharma and entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala bestowed

In a glittering function, Hindi film actor -producer Anushka Sharma was honoured with the Smita Patil Memorial Award, while entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala was awarded the Priyadarshni Academy Global Award for his outstanding contribution towards innovative entertainment and community development. Sharma and Screwvala, were among the other names that were awarded at Priyadarshni Academy’s 34th Anniversary Global Awards which was held at Hotel Trident, Nariman Point.

Anu Aga, Chairperson and Founder Trustee, Teach for India, Mumbai received the Priyadarshni Academy Global Award for outstanding contribution to Education for Underprivileged. Pralhad P Chhabria Memorial Global Award for outstanding contribution to Child Development was conferred on Neelam Makhijani, Country Director, ChildFund India, Bengaluru.

Harish Mahindra Memorial Global Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion of Peace and Crisis Management was conferred on Elisabeth Rehn, Minister of State, Finland. Priyadarshni Academy Global Award for outstanding contribution to Science and Technology was conferred on Professor M M Sharma, Emeritus Professor of Eminence, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. A total of six awardees were felicitated by Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Shipping; Road Transport &Highways; Water Resources; River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, and Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Coal.

Expressing her gratitude on receiving the revered Smita Patil Memorial Award, Anushka Sharma said, "I feel humbled to have been honoured by Priyadarshni Academy with the Smita Patil Memorial award this year. Smitaji is a true inspiration for every actor of my generation. Her pioneering effort in the upliftment of parallel cinema movement in India stands out as a beacon of hope for actors like myself and I in my small way will always strive to take her dream forward by being part of films that are content rich. This year also embarks me completing a decade."

"I am grateful to Priyadarshni Academy for having chosen me as the recipient of Priyadarshni Global Academy Award. The award is a reassurance of the fact that our Swades Foundation's efforts in empowering rural India to become self-sufficient in water, health, education and livelihood are steadily progressing in the right direction,” said Ronnie Screwvala.

On this occasion, Niranjan Hiranandani, Priyadarshni Academy chair, applauded the achievements of the Academy all these years due to the team work of everyone in the Academy especially Rupani’s leadership and guidance.

Nanik Rupani, Chairman Emeritus, quoted, “Priyadarshni Academy has steadily grown during the last 34 years and has been doing yeoman service to society. Every year Rs 3 to 4 million are awarded as Scholarships to deserving and needy students thus fulfilling their ambitions to pursue higher studies in India. The global awards programme of the Academy is a prestigious event which brings good will with other nations and makes them closer and strengthens bilateral relations.”