Mumbai, India, Afternoon Voice, a leading media publication, celebrated its 16th Newsmakers Achievers Award on May 1, 2024, honouring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to various fields. The event was graced by esteemed guests and awardees from diverse backgrounds.
The chief guest and recipient of the Best Social Entrepreneur award was Mrs. Amruta Fadnavis. In her speech, Mrs. Fadnavis expressed gratitude for the recognition and emphasised the importance of supporting individuals who are making positive impacts in society. She commended the Lifetime Achievement awardees, Padma Shri Dr. Puru Dadheech and Padma Shri Darshana Jhaveri, stating that awarding them was an honour in itself.
“It is an honour to be here receiving this award towards Social Entrepreneurship, and it’s a humbling experience that I could award Dr. Puru Dadheech Ji and Darshana Jhaveri Ji because they are people with great deeds, and awarding them itself is an award for me,” said Mrs. Fadnavis. “In fact, I just read recently that you should bet on good people doing good things. And this will take us a long way in terms of the future of our country. I thank you for this and, as you said, you never succumb to any pressures. That is a great quality we don’t find nowadays. In fact, I feel that any media or newspaper is not about dumping data into mines. It is about creating a fire of revolution. And that comes when the truth is presented as it is.”
The event also welcomed distinguished guests of honour, including His Excellency Mr. Harjinder Kang, His Excellency Mr. Satinder Pal Ahuja, and His Excellency Mr. Kobbi Shoshani, who were recognised for their contributions to fostering international cooperation and understanding.
Vaidehi Taman, editor of Afternoon Voice, emphasised the importance of recognising deserving individuals without succumbing to commercial pressures. “I want to fight the commercialization of awards; I want to genuinely appreciate all deserving people with unconditional love,” said Taman. “The Newsmakers Achievers Award has honoured and celebrated more than 400 people so far in the past 15 years.”
The event saw the recognition of notable achievers across various categories, including entertainment, social work, politics, and media. Notable awardees include Salma Agha, K C Bokadia, Deepak Tijori, Madhoo Shah, Heena D’Souza, Rasika Aghashe, Shirish Joshi, Araham Sawant, Dr. Tatyasaheb Lahane, Nitu Joshi, Mangesh Chivate, Jeetendra Pardeshi , Dr. Nia Padmapani, Arjun Deshpande, Dharamraobaba Atram, Preeti Sharma Menon, Dr. Uday Nirgudkar, and Shriram Shinde.
The 16th Newsmakers Achievers Award was a testament to Afternoon Voice’s commitment to honouring individuals who are making significant contributions to society and inspiring positive change.
