By C.K. Srivastava
Eight women, eight different fields and eight inspiring stories of achievement—but one common message: India’s real strength lies in its unity in diversity.
Coming from different parts of the country and rising above barriers of caste, colour, creed, region and social circumstances, these talented women have not only carved out identities of their own but have also demonstrated that talent and determination can overcome even the most difficult circumstances.
Eight outstanding women, who have made exceptional contributions in diverse fields—including higher education, media, social service, para-sports, yoga, innovation, struggles against adversity, and lifelong service to the mentally and physically challenged—were honoured with the Third Dr. Rama Saharia Memorial Awards at a simple yet dignified ceremony held at the NEA Auditorium.
The ceremony was much more than an occasion for distributing awards. It was a celebration of stories of struggle, courage, determination and success—stories of individuals who transformed adversity into their strength.
The prestigious event was organised under the aegis of the MBKM Foundation, New Delhi, to commemorate the memory of one of its founders.
A Confluence of Experience and Distinction on the Stage
The dignity of the occasion was enhanced by the presence of several experienced and distinguished personalities from India’s public life. Among them were Mr. Subodh Kant Sahay and Mr. Anil Shastri, both former Union Ministers of State; Mr. Harkesh Bahadur, former Member of Parliament; and Dr. Queenie Pradhan, a noted expert on law and women’s history.
The nearly three-hour-long impressive ceremony was presided over by Dr. Yogendra Narain, a former IAS officer who served as Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha and also as Secretary in the Ministries of Defence and Surface Transport.
The Foundation’s Patron, Mr. R. S. Atroley, lent his presence and stature to the occasion. The programme was effectively conducted by Dr. Ashok Srivastava.
The responsibility of introducing all eight awardees was entrusted to Prof. Avinash Singh. Mrs. Tanu Mathur and Mrs. Sapna Bhatnagar also took turns in presenting the audience with the inspiring stories of the achievements and struggles of the award winners.
Mr. Jagdish Gautam made an important contribution to the technical and logistical management of the programme.
Behind the conception, direction and successful execution of the event was the significant role played by one of the Foundation’s principal pillars, Prof. Pradeep Mathur.
The award winners with Chief guest Mr Subodh Kant Sahay and guests of honour Mr Anil Shastri and Mr Harkesh Bahadur. Dr Yogendra Narayan , who presided over the event, and others including the office- bearers of the foundation can also be seen in the picture..
Eight Women, Eight Directions, Eight Inspirations
The eight women honoured this year have earned distinction in their respective fields:
– Prof. Manjinder Kaur — Education, Patiala, Punjab
– Ms. Naina Gautam — Podcasting on Sustainability, London/New Delhi
– Ms. Urmal Munjwani — Ashtanga Yoga, Mysuru, Karnataka / Raipur, Chhattisgarh
– Ms. Garima Joshi — Para-Sports, Ranikhet, Uttarakhand; training with SAI for the Para Asian Games
– Ms. Sukhdeep Kaur — Lifetime Achievement Award, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
– Ms. Atlanta Mahanta — Innovation, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
– Ms. Ayushi Karnwal — An Indomitable Struggle Against Adversity, Guwahati, Assam
– Ms. Tabassum Khan — Women’s Empowerment, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
As the names of the winners were announced from the stage, the auditorium reverberated with applause. The applause was particularly enthusiastic when Ms. Garima Joshi and Ms. Sukhdeep Kaur were honoured.
Distinguished Personalities from Diverse Fields Among the Award Presenters
The group of personalities who presented the awards was itself a reflection of the breadth and diversity of the occasion.
They included Prof. Mohammad Rehan, an expert in solar technology; Mr. Prabhloh Singh, a human-rights activist; Mr. Rajiv Tikkoo, noted journalist and campaigner for green energy and sustainable development; Mr. Avtar Singh, cyclist and Special Olympics coach; Mohammed Salim Engineer, an E&C expert; Dr. Salim Khan, a specialist in neutron chemistry; Dr. Parul Mehra, a media expert; Advocate Sudhanshu Chaudhary; and Advocate Atiqul Rahman, senior advocate, Supreme Court.
The ceremony was further enriched by the participation of well-known photographers such as Param Grewal, S. N. Sinha and Nitin Goel; corporate trainers and mentors including Mr. Vinesh Malik and Mr. Arvind Sukhija; and journalists and anchors such as Mr. Amitabh Srivastava, Mr. Swarn Singh Denawalia and Mr. Sachin Arora, who also presented awards.
The presence of Advocate Ruhi Mukherjee and digital journalist Khurram Habib was also noteworthy.
‘The Endeavour’ Released
The Foundation’s 24-page newsletter, The Endeavour, was also released during the ceremony. The publication highlights the organisation’s activities and achievements and outlines its future direction.
The programme opened with a soulful and deeply spiritual flute recital by Dr. Vikas Rajput. The melodious strains of the flute filled the entire atmosphere with a sense of serenity and positive energy.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, C. K. Srivastava, Vice-President of the Foundation and an advocate of the Supreme Court, proposed the vote of thanks.
Absence Also Became a Point of Discussion
The absence of Dr. Neena Singla, Ms. Shaheen Parshad and Sakshi Chauhan was felt during the ceremony. The three participants, who had been shortlisted in different categories, had expressed their inability to attend the function due to personal reasons.
The Foundation follows a clear policy that awards are not presented in absentia. Consequently, the awards could not be presented to these participants.
The Road Ahead—A Broader Social Initiative
During the ceremony, Foundation President Prof. Pradeep Mathur and General Secretary Mr. Rajiv Mathur spoke at length about the Foundation’s journey so far, its objectives and its plans for the future.
They said that the Foundation was working towards expanding the scope of its social initiatives in the coming years. As part of this endeavour, it plans to organise a Manmohan Swaroop Memorial Lecture next month on an important and contemporary subject: “Health Without Medicines.”
Beyond the Award: The Larger Story
Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Dr. Rama Saharia Memorial Awards is that the awards have gone beyond being merely symbols of recognition and have become a means of inspiration.
The stories of these eight women demonstrate that India’s diversity is reflected not merely in its culture, languages and traditions, but also in the courage, struggles and achievements of women who break barriers and create new pathways for themselves and for society.
That was the real message of the ceremony:
Different paths, different struggles, different achievements, different directions—
but one destination: a better, more inclusive and empowered India.
