Karmaveer Puraskar

Among the 70 recipients of the Karmaveer Puraskar awards which were presented in New Delhi on November 26, 2009 are three Zoroastrians — Noshir Dadrawala, in recognition of his services to the voluntary/philanthropic sector in India, scientist-entrepreneur Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell of Bangalore and Kayzad Namdarian of Melbourne, Australia.

The Karmaveer Puraskar is a national award for social justice and citizen action that recognizes committed individuals who have been pivotal for leading change, working on social issues at the individual level. As per information available on the Internet, the awards were instituted in 2006 by citizens and the people of India through iCONGO (India Confederation of Non-Governmental Organizations), a public-private partnership in association with people from industry, media, government, students, small and medium enterprises as part of the "Right every wrong movement.”

"Karmaveer Puraskar is given to change dreamers and doers who practice philanthropy for social justice,” explains Jeroninio Almeida, founder and chief volunteer, iCONGO on its website. Dubbed "The Noble Laureates,” earlier awardees include eminent citizens like Dr Verghese Kurien of Operation Flood, industrialist Anu Aga, former chief election commissioner James Michael Lyngdoh, father of the green revolution M. S. Swaminathan and adman and theater personality Alyque Padamsee. The awards ceremony is held every year on November 26, the day the Indian Constitutional Pledge was signed. Further details are available on www.righteverywrong

(Clockwise from top left): Achievers Villoo Mora­wala-Patell, Noshir Dadra­wala and Kayzad Namdarian

The website of the Charities Aid Foundation has carried Dadrawala’s citation which states: "Noshir has been involved in this field for nearly a quarter of a century, building capacity for the voluntary sector across the country through training programs, consultancy service (mostly pro bono), writing and publishing useful resource books and enabling the growth of philanthropy by promoting research, networks, and healthy partnerships across all sectors. He exploited the hidden potential and good intentions of the voluntary sector and provided it with professionalism and management skills to operate in a manner that could prove accountable, transparent and within the framework of the complex charity laws in this country.”

Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell, named Corporate Citizen Karmaveer, is founder, chairperson and managing director of Avesthagen Limited, a company based on the unique model that focuses on the convergence of food, pharma and population genetics which leads to continuous path-breaking innovations in predictive, preventive, personalized health­care. Whether she is wooing investors, building a patent portfolio, critiquing multinational pharmaceutical firms or tackling hereditary diseases in her native community, she brings a unique mix of dynamism and intellectual verve to the table, reads information on the iCONGO website. With the success and immense recognition to her work and name, she certainly takes women empowerment to a whole new level.

Global Indian Karmaveer Kayzad Namdarian’s story is one of both exposure and donation towards action, mentions the iCONGO website. He led an effort with a new age approach to civil action through the Internet by starting an online group, actively working for various causes like world hunger, notably child hunger. He has been involved in spreading awareness about special charity websites. His efforts have been successful in arousing world sympathy for the cause of hunger as is evident from the big charity contributions that have resulted from his work. With the mantra "being aware, spreading awareness and then undertaking action,” Namdarian has done much good for society.