April 6 2016, 11.14 PM IST || Pocket News Alert
Rahul Bose, film personality and social activist encouraged the finalists with his presence at the awards ceremony
The programme has received nominations from 23,000 students across 1200 schools in India since 2010 and recognized 500+ students for impactful community service
Gurgaon: The 6th annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards programme felicitated Nikhiya Shamsher, a class VIII student of Greenwood High School, Bangalore and Deeya Shroff, a class XI student of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai with top honors in the Individual Category, for their extraordinary contribution to community service. They were selected from over 5,000 nominations received from school students across India. The winners were presented with Gold Medallions, Certificates of Excellence, a cash reward of Rs. 50,000 each, and a return trip to Washington, D.C. in May 2016. While in Washington, D.C., the winners will represent India in the global felicitation ceremonies for The Spirit of Community Award winners from eight participating countries across the world. The awards were presented to the gold medalists in the presence of Rahul Bose, film personality and social activist.
Nikhiya is the founder of two initiatives – ‘Bags, Books & Blessings’ and ‘Yearn to Learn’ that facilitate education facilities for underprivileged children. Through her initiative ‘Yearn To Learn’, she has set up 11 laboratories in three schools in Bangalore, which has benefitted over 2,250 students in the region. Deeya has impacted the lives of 1200+ individuals through her project ‘Jal Jeevan’ that she undertook in collaboration with Eureka Forbes that provides clean and purified drinking water through water ATMs to 300 families in rural India.
Picture 1: Nikhiya Shamsher, a class VIII student of Greenwood High
School, Bangalore, recognized as one of the two national honourees
(Individual Category) of the 6th annual Pramerica Spirit of Community
Awards for her extraordinary contribution to community service. The
award was presented by Rahul Bose, film personality and social activist
and Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Ltd.
Picture 2: Deeya Shroff, a class XI student of Dhirubhai Ambani
International School, Mumbai, recognized as one of the two national
honourees (Individual Category) of the 6th annual Pramerica Spirit of
Community Awards for her extraordinary contribution to community
service. The award was presented by Rahul Bose, film personality and
social activist and Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DHFL Pramerica Life
Insurance Ltd.
Picture 3: Vishamuhil S and her friends, class VIII students of P.U.M.S
Kalachery West, Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, recognized as the
national honourees (Group Category) of the 6th annual Pramerica Spirit
of Community Awards for their extraordinary contribution to community
service. The award was presented by Rahul Bose, film personality and
social activist and Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DHFL Pramerica Life
Insurance Ltd.
The prestigious awards programme organized by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (DPLI) is the India chapter of the Spirit of Community Awards, the largest youth recognition programme in the United States based exclusively on volunteer service.
The recipient of Gold Medallions in the Group Category are Vishamuhil S and her friends, class VIII students of P.U.M.S Kalachery West, Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. They have taken the initiative to spread awareness against suicides in their village. With the aid of street plays, rallies and one-on-one meetings, these children have tried to make parents aware of the need to think about their children’s future instead of taking a drastic step to end their lives if times are bad. The hard work and continued efforts of Vishamuhil S and her friends has shown very optimistic results. They started this campaign in November 2011 and in the past four years, there have been no suicide cases in their village.
Additionally, 14 other well deserving finalists in the Individual Category and seven students in the Group Category received Certificates of Achievement and silver medallions for their outstanding community service. The winners were selected by an eminent jury panel comprising Padma Sri Kathak Guru Shovana Narayan, Ms. Romaine San Francesco, Project Head, Samarpan Foundation, Mr. Narayanan Madhavan, Senior Associate Editor, Hindustan Times, Prof. Manoj. K Jha, Head of the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi, Mr. Kapil Pandey, President and Co-Founder of Kutumb Foundation, and Mr. Ashwani Singla, Founding Managing Partner, Astrum.
Addressing the finalists at the awards ceremony, Mr. Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Co. Ltd. said, “Most of us at some point in our lives have felt strongly about a cause. But I can tell you that very few of us have actually gone out and done something about it. This is what makes all you children present here so special. You have actively participated in and initiated projects which you believed in, and the thought that has gone behind each of them is really humbling and inspiring."
"The Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards programme is our way of letting you know that we truly appreciate the remarkable work that each one of you are doing. Your genuine concern for others, your commitment to give back to your community, the lasting impact you’ve had on numerous people – all of this set you apart and make you inspiring examples for all of us to emulate," Mr Pabby added.
Furthermore, 30 Bronze Medalists in the Individual Category and seven teams in the Group Category are being felicitated for their significant efforts in the area of community service.
About The Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (SoCA)
Introduced in 2010 in India, ‘The Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards' is an annual nationwide search to identify and recognize school students who have made a positive difference in their communities through voluntary community service. Till date, over 23,000 children have participated in this initiative by sending in their applications and of them, 500+ students have been recognized for their community service efforts.
The prestigious awards programme organized by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (DPLI) is the India chapter of the Spirit of Community Awards, the largest youth recognition programme in the United States based exclusively on volunteer service. Introduced in 1995 by Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), DPLI’s international Joint Venture partner, the U.S. programme has officially recognized more than 115,000 school students for their meaningful contribution towards their communities. India is the 7th country outside the United States to conduct the Awards programme. Other participating countries include PFI subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, Brazil and China.
The national recognition events for Spirit of Community Awards winners held in Washington, D.C. every year include gala award ceremonies at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, tours of the capital’s historic monuments and landmarks, a festive dinner cruise on the Potomac River, and plenty of opportunity for the students to share their experiences and ideas with one another. The winners also hear from notable public figures, which in the past have included Jimmy Carter, Barbara Bush, Whoopi Goldberg, Colin Powell, Sarah Ferguson (the Duchess of York), Laura Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Ian Manning and Kevin Spacey.
About DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI)
DPLI is a joint venture between Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (DHFL), India’s second largest private sector housing finance company and Prudential International Insurance Holdings, Ltd. (PIIH), a fully owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), a financial services leader headquartered in the U.S. DPLI represents the coming together of two renowned financial services organizations with a legacy of business excellence spread over decades. The life insurance joint venture agreement between the two partners was signed in July 2013.
DPLI has a pan India presence through multiple distribution channels which have been customized to address the specific insurance needs of diverse customer segments. The Company is committed to providing protection and quality financial advice to its customers. For further information on the Company, please visit www.dhflpramerica.com.
About DHFL
DHFL was founded in 1984 by Late Shri Rajesh Kumar Wadhawan with a vision to provide financial access to the lower and middle income segments in the semi-urban and rural areas of the country. Today, led by Mr. Kapil Wadhawan, CMD, DHFL is India’s second largest housing finance company in the private sector, with a large network presence across the country, in addition to representative offices in Dubai, UAE and London, UK.
All through its years of growth, DHFL has stayed with its core vision of financial inclusion. The Company’s wide network, coupled with insights into local customer needs has enabled the Company to provide meaningful financial access to customers even in India’s smallest towns. With a strong business foundation, an extensive distribution network, proven industry expertise and a deep understanding of the Indian customer, DHFL is one of India’s largest financial services companies. For further information, please visit www.dhfl.com.
About PFI
Pramerica* is a trade name used by Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United States, and its affiliated companies in select countries outside the United States. PFI (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with more than $1.184 trillion of assets under management as of 31st December 2015, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. PFI’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., PFI’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.
*Pramerica and the Rock Logo are proprietary service marks and may not be used without the permission of the owner.