8 personalities honoured with Godavari Gaurav awards

NASHIK: Kusumagraj Foundation conferred the prestigious ‘Godavari Gaurav’ awards to eight personalities at

Raosaheb Thorat Hall

on Saturday for the valuable contribution in their respective fields.

The recipients of these biennial awards include Amol Palekar, social worker

couple Ravindra

and Smita Kolhe, internationally acclaimed painter Subhash Awachar, former vice-chancellor of Mumbai University Snehlata Deshmukh, Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande,

Sudarshan Shinde

and Mahesh Sabale. They won the awards in the following categories— film and theatre, social work, fine arts, education, classical music and adventure.

“The awards holds special importance for every person who speaks, reads and follows Marathi language. The awardees may have won many national and international honours but this award will always have a special place in their hearts,” said president of Kusumagraj Foundation Madhu Mangesh Karnik who felicitated the awardees.

Godavari Gaurav awards were instituted in 1992 by legendary Marathi poet Kusumagraj, who was a Nashikite. These awards are given in six different categories and are considered to be the most prestigious public honour in North Maharashtra. The awards are given every other year since 1992 on March 10, to mark the death anniversary of Kusumagraj. Each award comprises Rs 21,000 cash, a citation and a memento.

Couple Ravindra and Smita Kolhe have transformed the lives of the tribals of Melghat. They have improved health outcomes in the area and helped villagers gain access to electricity, roads and primary health centres. Contribution of Subhash Awachat, Amol Palekar, Pt Satyasheel Deshpande are well known to the masses. Snehlata Deshmukh is a former vice-chancellor of Mumbai University and has written many books on education.

The two less-known names in the list were constable Sudarshan Shinde and Security Guard Mahesh Sable who were honoured for saving 14 people from the fire that broke out in Kamala Mills.

Veteran film actor Ashok Kumar, director Pandit Satyadev Dubey, theatre legend Vijaya Mehta, music director Sudhir Phadke, actor Nana Patekar, social activist Anna Hazare, hockey player Dhanraj Pillay, ace photographer Gautam Rajyadhaksha, cartoonist R K Laxman, cricketers Poly Umrigar and Vijay Hazare had received this award between 1992 and 2016.