Power Brands is not just a global standard of brand excellence and an ode to the glamour and sweat of Individual Brands, but has also over the years emerged as one of the greatest symbols of corporate and social commitment towards a better world.
Leaders of this exclusive club of Power Brands, come together to join hands pledging their commitment towards a more equal world at forums like the Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar (Indian Human Development Awards) and the London International Forum of Equality.
What really sets Power Brands aside is it's genuine commitment to a better world as well genuine commitment to honouring real achievers based upon complete research and transparency.
Over the years Power Brands/ BMVP awards have gone to the likes of Dr. Zlatko Matesa- 6th Prime Minister of Croatia, H. E. Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan, 5th President of the Maldives, Nobel Laureates- Muhammad Yunus & Leymah Roberta Gbowee, Bindeshwar Pathak, Medha Patkar, Swaminathan A Iyer, Gurcharan Das, Dr. Kiran Bedi, Dr. Devi Shetty, T N Seshan, E. Sreedharan, the Iron Lady Irom Sharmila Chanu, Kumar Sangakkara, Sushmita Sen, Late Y. C. Deveshwar, Pankaj Munjal... et al.
Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar is a distinctive initiative, a unique stage of some of the most powerful and humane minds from across the nation. BMVP is a platform created for leaders from the sphere of Politics, Business, Academics and Entertainment who have contributed towards enhancing the cause of human development in India.
The power-packed day witnesses the conferring of 10 national leaders from various walks of life who have built a brand of faith and hope through their conviction and actions while remaining committed to bring about a change in the society and championing the cause of equity, humanity, social justice and human welfare.
In attendance to support, believe in and cherish change the nation needs, and its prime agents, would be the most luminous lights of this country including- Entrepreneurs, NGOs, CEOs, Politicians, Academicians, Media Giants, Sports and Film personalities, et al from around the nation.
The 13 Awardees who were honored with the Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar 2018 are as follows:
Shabana Azmi: An amazing person, who has always preferred to lead from the front – to set the toughest of benchmarks through her life and her works. All the five National Film Awards – starting from Ankur in 1974, then three successive awards in 1982, 1983 and 1984 for Arth, Khandhar and Paar respectively, and again in 1998 for Godmother - movies in so many languages and with such great directors, working for the stage with equal commitment as well – these facts itself speak volumes about her “actor” self – that we all are in awe of for the last 5 decades almost.
The person within – the person beyond the “lights, camera and action” – is a humanist and human rights and peace activist – who would never miss the smallest of opportunity to take sides in favour of the marginalised, the discriminated, the demeaned and the belittled. She is also heading the Mijwan Welfare Society, founded by Mijwan’s most famous son – the legendary Urdu poet, humanist and feminist Kaifi Azmi ji, who for the last twenty years of his life lived in Mijwan in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and singlehandedly transformed it from a village in oblivion to a model village. The legacy of committed and most dedicated leadership that she inherited form her father has made her most deservingly able to run the Mijwan Welfare Society and all its social initiatives and other welfare programs. It was mainly for her initiative that today hand-woven masterpieces from Mijwan features in the chosen list of some of the biggest fashion designers in India and around the world.
Nandita Das: Acting in more than 40 feature films in 10 different languages – being an actor, acclaimed director, playwright, public speaker, columnist and humanist – Nandita Das has wore many hats and her passion and perceptive mind to see the world around us very differently is evident in the choices she has made – in life and in work as well . Besides working for films and the stage, she continues to advocate issues of social justice, especially those of women, children and the marginalised communities. She is one of the most vocal and proactive supporter for the “ Dark is Beautiful “ awareness campaign that seeks to draw attention to the unjust effects of skin colour bias and also celebrates the beauty and diversity of all skin tones. The campaign challenges the belief that the value and beauty of people in India and worldwide, is determined by the fairness of their skin. This belief, shaped by societal attitudes and reinforced by media messages, is corroding the self-worth of countless people, young and old. Her directorial debut Firaaq premiered in 2008 at the Toronto Film Festival. She was on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival twi¬ce (2005 & 2013). Nandita was conferred the ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the French Government and was the first Indian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Women’s Forum in 2011. Manto is her second feature film and is selected in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, 2018. We wish her all the best as the film is all set to release in India in a couple of weeks.
Dr Bibek Debroy: Noted economist and alumnus of Ramakrishna Mission, Narendrapur, Presidency College and Trinity College, Cambridge – as an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Think Tank, Dr Debroy has been entrusted with the key policy-making role in the present Union Government. As member of NITI Aayog and Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, he has been instrumental in enforcing some of the most crucial decisions to strengthen the country’s economy in the long run. Beside his work on Economics, he has also widely written and lectured on income and social inequalities and poverty. One of Dr. Debroy’s preoccupations has been his continuous effort to devise more sustainable solutions to India’s unemployment problem and to do away with jobless growth – something that have plagued the Indian Economy for many successive years.
Power Brands is not just a global standard of brand excellence and an ode to the glamour and sweat of Individual Brands, but has also over the years emerged as one of the greatest symbols of corporate and social commitment towards a better world.
Leaders of this exclusive club of Power Brands, come together to join hands pledging their commitment towards a more equal world at forums like the Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar (Indian Human Development Awards) and the London International Forum of Equality.
What really sets Power Brands aside is it's genuine commitment to a better world as well genuine commitment to honouring real achievers based upon complete research and transparency.
Over the years Power Brands/ BMVP awards have gone to the likes of Dr. Zlatko Matesa- 6th Prime Minister of Croatia, H. E. Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan, 5th President of the Maldives, Nobel Laureates- Muhammad Yunus & Leymah Roberta Gbowee, Bindeshwar Pathak, Medha Patkar, Swaminathan A Iyer, Gurcharan Das, Dr. Kiran Bedi, Dr. Devi Shetty, T N Seshan, E. Sreedharan, the Iron Lady Irom Sharmila Chanu, Kumar Sangakkara, Sushmita Sen, Late Y. C. Deveshwar, Pankaj Munjal... et al.
Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar is a distinctive initiative, a unique stage of some of the most powerful and humane minds from across the nation. BMVP is a platform created for leaders from the sphere of Politics, Business, Academics and Entertainment who have contributed towards enhancing the cause of human development in India.
The power-packed day witnesses the conferring of 10 national leaders from various walks of life who have built a brand of faith and hope through their conviction and actions while remaining committed to bring about a change in the society and championing the cause of equity, humanity, social justice and human welfare.
In attendance to support, believe in and cherish change the nation needs, and its prime agents, would be the most luminous lights of this country including- Entrepreneurs, NGOs, CEOs, Politicians, Academicians, Media Giants, Sports and Film personalities, et al from around the nation.
The 13 Awardees who were honored with the Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Puraskar 2018 are as follows:
Shabana Azmi: An amazing person, who has always preferred to lead from the front – to set the toughest of benchmarks through her life and her works. All the five National Film Awards – starting from Ankur in 1974, then three successive awards in 1982, 1983 and 1984 for Arth, Khandhar and Paar respectively, and again in 1998 for Godmother - movies in so many languages and with such great directors, working for the stage with equal commitment as well – these facts itself speak volumes about her “actor” self – that we all are in awe of for the last 5 decades almost.
The person within – the person beyond the “lights, camera and action” – is a humanist and human rights and peace activist – who would never miss the smallest of opportunity to take sides in favour of the marginalised, the discriminated, the demeaned and the belittled. She is also heading the Mijwan Welfare Society, founded by Mijwan’s most famous son – the legendary Urdu poet, humanist and feminist Kaifi Azmi ji, who for the last twenty years of his life lived in Mijwan in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and singlehandedly transformed it from a village in oblivion to a model village. The legacy of committed and most dedicated leadership that she inherited form her father has made her most deservingly able to run the Mijwan Welfare Society and all its social initiatives and other welfare programs. It was mainly for her initiative that today hand-woven masterpieces from Mijwan features in the chosen list of some of the biggest fashion designers in India and around the world.
Nandita Das: Acting in more than 40 feature films in 10 different languages – being an actor, acclaimed director, playwright, public speaker, columnist and humanist – Nandita Das has wore many hats and her passion and perceptive mind to see the world around us very differently is evident in the choices she has made – in life and in work as well . Besides working for films and the stage, she continues to advocate issues of social justice, especially those of women, children and the marginalised communities. She is one of the most vocal and proactive supporter for the “ Dark is Beautiful “ awareness campaign that seeks to draw attention to the unjust effects of skin colour bias and also celebrates the beauty and diversity of all skin tones. The campaign challenges the belief that the value and beauty of people in India and worldwide, is determined by the fairness of their skin. This belief, shaped by societal attitudes and reinforced by media messages, is corroding the self-worth of countless people, young and old. Her directorial debut Firaaq premiered in 2008 at the Toronto Film Festival. She was on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival twi¬ce (2005 & 2013). Nandita was conferred the ‘Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the French Government and was the first Indian to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Women’s Forum in 2011. Manto is her second feature film and is selected in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, 2018. We wish her all the best as the film is all set to release in India in a couple of weeks.
Dr Bibek Debroy: Noted economist and alumnus of Ramakrishna Mission, Narendrapur, Presidency College and Trinity College, Cambridge – as an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Think Tank, Dr Debroy has been entrusted with the key policy-making role in the present Union Government. As member of NITI Aayog and Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, he has been instrumental in enforcing some of the most crucial decisions to strengthen the country’s economy in the long run. Beside his work on Economics, he has also widely written and lectured on income and social inequalities and poverty. One of Dr. Debroy’s preoccupations has been his continuous effort to devise more sustainable solutions to India’s unemployment problem and to do away with jobless growth – something that have plagued the Indian Economy for many successive years.
Dr Uma Tuli: Dr Tuli is an academician, educationist, social worker, rehabilitation professional and sports woman, Dr. Uma Tuli has contributed immensely in each and every capacity. She was the first non-bureaucrat appointed by the Government of India as Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. Among the several key positions that Dr. Uma Tuli has held include Chairperson - Education Commission, Rehabilitation International, USA, and National Secretary in India, Executive Member of International Abilympics Federation, Member - Core Advisory Group on disability, National Human Rights Commission, and several other Committees of Govt. of India. As the Founder and Managing Secretary of Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, it has been Dr. Tuli’s efforts that have led Amar Jyoti to take the pioneering concept of inclusive education, integrated sports and cultural activities to new heights. Under her leadership Amar Jyoti has received several national and international awards and recognition.
Ashutosh: A highly acclaimed journalist, Ashutosh was the Managing Editor of IBN7 from 2006 to 2014 when he gave it up to become a political activist. As an editor Ashutosh was a strong and fearless leader of his team who never bowed to any pressure and was always seen to be unbiased and just. He is one of the most recognized and admired faces of Indian Television. He pioneered a style that has inspired a whole generation of anchors. After having a successful career in journalism, he felt it was time to be a direct participant in the movement for change that was the call of the moment for the country – as he joined the Aam Admi Party as a key member of the party’s think tank. Over the years Ashutosh has an outspoken voice against each and every form of social injustice as well as economic inequality. As a political activist and social worker, he has championed the cause of the marginalized masses and has strongly opposed any form of social and economic discrimination.
Yuvraj Singh: He is a sensation, a batting legend in the world of Cricket. With around 15000 international runs, Yuvraj Singh is one of the greatest and most aggressive batsmen in world cricket. There is indeed nothing more pleasing for millions of his fans all across the globe than seeing him singlehandedly decimating the opposition’s attack. The champion that he is on and off the field, he not only fought with cancer in the bravest possible way and came out triumphant but also made it into a pledge to initiate his journey as the founder of “Youwecan” – an initiative of Yuvraj Singh Foundation, which focuses on every sector of cancer. The Foundation creates a conscious environment to fight cancer by inculcating a habit of regular cancer checkups. Its main vision is to educate all the segments of society about the implications of the disease through affordable campaigns. One person who is indispensable to not only Yuvraj but also to the entire foundation is – the chairperson of the Yuvraj Singh Foundation - Ms Shabnam Singh. She is an epitome of strength and determination.
Flavia Agnes: She is a feminist legal scholar and a pioneer of the women’s movement – who have worked consistently on issues of violence against women. As co-founder of MAJLIS, which provides quality legal services to women and children, she has helped to secure the rights of thousands of battered women in Mumbai as well as across Maharashtra. Her widely published writings have provided a vital context for feminist jurisprudence, human rights law and gender studies in India. Ms. Agnes is a prominent advocate of legal pluralism and her writings on this issue have provided a complex framework for protecting the rights of minority women within the rubric of legal pluralism. In 2011 her organisation started RAHAT a survival support programme for helping victims of sexual violence to walk the legal journey. Turning victims into survivors is the motto of the organisation.
Pramila Nesargi : She is a Lawyer, Law-maker, Educationist, Social Activist, Women's Rights Activist, director of several companies and NGO’s, author, campaigner, sportswoman, debater ... it just goes unending! She was also two times elected member of the Karnataka State Legislative Assembly and the only lady in Karnataka to be designated Senior Counsel. She was the Chairperson – Karnataka State Women’s Commission and the first and only lady to become the Chairperson of the Karnataka Bar Council and also President of the Karnataka chapter of the Indian Federation of Women Lawyers. She has held several positions in various academic institutions in India and had authored many thought provoking articles on burning social as well as political issues and reformation in newspapers and magazines. She is also the Chairperson of Samragni Swa Udyog Trust and trustees of several philanthropic organisations. Apart from these, she has successfully represented countless number of cases from the high-profile to the controversial for which she has often faced severe criticism. She gained fame for taking on the seemingly hopeless cases and turning them around to obtain justice for all.
Anita Ahuja: At least 8 million metric tonnes of plastic are thrown into our oceans annually. 322 million metric tons of plastic were produced in 2015 only. By 2050 our oceans would have more plastics inside than all of its marine life. Amidst these staggering statistics that can maim us easily – make all disillusioned anticipating our future under such environmental holocaust – Anita Ahuja can make us at once hopeful and resurrect our fast fading positivity. Anita is a writer, an artist and a designer but her most notable work has been as a social entrepreneur. Under her most able leadership, Conserve India in the last 20 years has worked in the promotion of energy efficiency, waste management, upcycling, skill-training and food security. Her biggest achievement has been the innovation of “Handmade recycled plastic”, a means to upcycled low density polythene into a high-fashion material. She along with her husband is the joint patent holders for the material. Anita’s invention has led to developing Handmade recycled plastic products which are now exported globally resulting in upcycling of over 5000 tonnes of plastic waste.
Bezwada Wilson: Our next winner of BMVP 2018 has indeed given up his whole life working for the “right to an equal life”. He took it upon himself to fight for all his fellow countrymen – for all those who were forced to carry on with this self demeaning, dehumanizing work of manual scavenging days after days without even realizing what they are doing. As the National Convernor and founding member of the Safai Karamchari Andolan, Bezwada Wilson and the movement spurred by him, have served as a watchdog pushing for legal action to demolish dry toilets across India and prepare manual scavengers, most of who are dalits, to pursue a new life of dignity and equal political, social and economic rights in the country. Honored with many national and international awards including the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2016, Wilson has successfully lobbied with the Government of India to introduce the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013, under which rehabilitation schemes have been added into the existing law. Under his leadership, the Safai Karamchari Andolan has inspired small organizations across the county to reach a wider number of individuals still engaged in this evil practice, and give them a platform to advocate for an equal right to life of dignity.
Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi: Lenin Raghuvanshi has ceased to be a name and has become an insignia, the symbol of resistance to millions of lower caste people fighting for their dignity in India. Lenin is credited with changing the discourse on Dalit Politics in India and bringing into focus an innovative “people centric” approach to reclaim “human dignity” for the deprived sections in a caste ridden Indian society. His care for details, meticulous planning, diligent patience, and sincere advocacy on the issues concerning the marginalized, has made millions of his supporters optimistic about a dignified future.
Give India / Atul Satija: Give India is India’s largest and most trustworthy giving platform for donors. With contributions of over 300 crores made to its more than 200 vetted and trusted not-for-profits organizations, the giving community of more than 1 million donors has impacted lives of more than 4 million people across 23 states in India.
Give India has a robust due diligence process which covers legal, compliance, financial and impact checks for each donation made to any non-profit, including in person visits to beneficiaries and actual feedback reports. This meticulous and flawless system runs under the leadership of one man – Mr Atul Satija. Atul is the Founder & CEO of The/Nudge Foundation and the Founder 2.0 & CEO of GiveIndia. Atul has also served EndPoverty, another non-profit as Chairperson for two years, working on various poverty related issues including water, sanitation, education, skill-development, sustainability and women empowerment. Atul has been named in the #40underForty list by The Economic Times in 2017.
Dr Pravin P Patkar: As Founder & Director of “Prerana” Dr Patkar has extensively worked against human trafficking for the sex trade protected over 12000 red light area children and over 20,000 prostituted women including rehabilitating several hundred rescued minors and accomplished global recognition for victim service as well as advocacy. He is also the Advisory Board member of Campaign Against Child Trafficking- established by Terre Des Hommes-Switzerland and HAQ India. Dr Patkar has also directed several field projects of Prerana for the prostituted women. He has conceptualized and facilitated the formation of South Asia’s first prostituted women’s collective for their rights- NISHANT. He is also running a sponsorship programme for tribal girl students who pursue education beyond 10th Std. He has also conceptualized and initiated Pratishtha- Vocational Training programmes for girls rescued from the sex trade and the foundation of Naunihal at Kharghar – a shelter facility for girls in difficult circumstances.
