New Delhi: What’s common to actors Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty, journalist Shekhar Gupta and Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams?
Nothing apparent, you’d say, except that their names start with the same alphabet.
But these celebrities were among 10 personalities who were presented the Rajiv Gandhi Awards on Sunday for achievements in their chosen fields.
The awards were presented by Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at a ceremony in Mumbai.
Among other winners were Veerendra Heggade, who was awarded for philanthropy and D Y Patil, who was honoured for his contribution to Indian education.
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Director of pharma major Nicholas Piramal India, Swati Piramal, received the award in the woman achiever category.
"Women have come far ahead from the lives they lived at the time of Independence. Today they stand on their own feet without the support from the men in their families," Piramal was quoted as saying by agencies.
Sunita Williams, was not present to receive her ‘super achiever’ achiever, and neither was the UK-based NRI Sir Gulam Noon, who was honoured in the global Indian category.
Bajaj Group’s Khushagra Bajaj was recognised as a promising young entrepreneur while Suzlon Energy chief Tulsi Tanti got the honours in the industrialist category.
Eight-year-old Pooja Bhangira was awarded for her accomplishments as a young swimmer.
There were performances from Bollywood actors Vivek Oberoi, Koena Mitra and Aftab Shivdasani and Pakistani comedians Ali Hasan and Irfan Malik.
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