5 NGOs awarded for accountability and transparency

New Delhi, Aug,6 : Five non-governmental organisations working for various underpriviledged sections across the country were awarded with the India NGO Awards 2010 for ensuring accountability and transparency.

They were Developmental Association for Human Advancement (DEHAT) and Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children (MNC) in small category, Pardada Pardadi Educational Society in medium category and the Akanksha Foundation in the large category.

The categories were divided on the basis of the NGOs annual budget. There was a special award given to Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee for its extraordinary contribution towards uplift of sex workers.

The awards were given away by the Resource Alliance in association with the Rockefeller Foundation here last evening.

The other NGOs which were shortlisted from among 210 were Children Toy Foundation, Youth for Social Development (YSD), the Association for People with Disability (APD), Ashadeep, CanSupport, Gujarat State Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GSNP+), Sense International (India), Aide et Action, SAATH and Save The Children.

The jury for this year s awards included Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, Tata Teleservices, Nick Langton, Country Director, the Asia Trust, Elizabeth Kurian, Regional Director, SightSavers India, Venkat Krishnan, Founder, GiveIndia and Maneesha Dube, Editor-in-Chief, Media Transasia India Ltd.

Shahnaz Husain recieves award for Quality Excellence in Ayurveda

New Delhi, Aug 5 : Beauty expert Shanaz Husain has been honoured with Indian Achievers Award for Quality Excellence by Indian Achievers Forum in collaboration with the India Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Husain was awarded for her achievements in promoting Ayurveda as a traditional cultural industry and taking Ayurvedic beauty care to the globe.

The award ceremony was a part of 29th Indian Achievers Summit on Indo-Thai Business Relations held here last evening. Ex-deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Khun Korn Dabbaransi was among the various dignitaries present on the occasion that focused on business and trade opportunities between the two countries.

Speaking of the increasing popularity of Ayurveda, Ms Husain said the concept of "total well being" and spa treatments are steadily gaining ground and the world was looking towards traditional Asian holistic healing.

She noted that both Thailand and India were known for their traditional spa treatments, which draw upon plant products and natural substances and proposed to set up an Indo-Thai Ayurvedic spa in London.