Indiantelevision.com is adding another feather to its cap.

The Mumbai based television information and services company will hold the first ever Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar 2002 on 27 April in Mumbai at Hotel Juhu Centaur. Announcing this at a press conference at the CCI, indiantelevision.com CEO Anil Wanvari said that the first of their kind awards have been instituted to recognise nine outstanding Marathi (he called them Marathi Manus) achievers from different walks of life such as film, music, theatre, television, sports, social work, business and media.

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd has opted for the main title sponsorship of the Sahyadri Navratna Awards for its soap brand Godrej No 1. Tata Agni Leaf from the Tata Tetley stable and Bajaj Shevashram had chosen to be the associate sponsors for the awards show which is to be telecast on TV, at the time of writing. State-owned pubcaster DD Sahyadri is supporting the awards.

The Godrej No 1 Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar show will be aired on 1 May 2002 from 3 pm to 6 pm on DD Sahyadri. Mumbai Doordarshan Kendra director Mukesh Sharma, who was present on the occasion, said that the channel has decided to support the awards as they are a reflection of the aspirations of Maharashtrians.

GCPL marketing manager P.P. Buch said his company had opted to back the awards because Godrej No 1 was partnering the No 1 Marathi television channel in its efforts to reward Maharastrians all over.

A jury panel of industry professionals and experts have helped in short-listing the nominations for the various categories. The jury includes former India cricket captain Ajit Wadekar, filmmaker Amol Palekar, music and art critic Dr Ashok Ranade, Maharashtra Times editor Bharat Kumar Raut, Maharashtra Government cultural secretary Govind Swaroop, theatre personality Kamlakar Sontakke, Sabe TV vice-chairman Markand Adhikari, IMPPA president and Mukti Foundation president Smita Thackeray, filmmaker Jabbar Patel and film and TV personality Sachin Pilgaonkar.

The Godrej No 1 Sahyadri Navratna Puraskar 2002 seek to recognise excellence in the Marathi community from the following six among the nine spheres of activity.

Swar Ratna - For excellence in singing.
Chitra Ratna - For excellence in cinema.
Natya Ratna - For excellence in Theatre.
Ratna Saurabh - For Excellence in sports.
Seva Ratna - To recognise work rendered to the cause of people.
Ratna Sharda - The Award for outstanding achievement by a female in any field.
Ratna Darpan - The Award for outstanding achievement in journalism and media.
Vaibhav Ratna - The Award for outstanding achievement in Industry/Business.
Ratna Vahini - To recognise the outstanding Marathi Television Channel.

Click here for a Slide Show of the press conference

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