The Annual Scheme of Awards constitutes a major part of the activities of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF), Udaipur. From a modest beginning of awards only for scholars in Udaipur, the orbit of this Annual Scheme of Awards has steadily grown to become a recognised event in the national and international arena. Today, the Awards honour recognition of service of permanent value already rendered to society in which, eminent scholars, students and common citizens who, through their chosen field of activity, have contributed to society. They include awards for historical research, art and painting, music and dance, education and journalism, and a variety of other contributions to social welfare. In addition, the Foundation set up a number of subsidiary trusts for religious and charitable purposes to give assistance without distinction of caste or creed or religion. The present custodian Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar has since, added considerably to his inherited legacy, extending the scope and size of the various charities operated by the trust.

On the evening of Saturday the 4th March 2017 Sahitya Sabha was organised at The Manek Chowk, Udaipur

Colonel James Tod Award

The Colonel James Tod Award is an International Award that has been instituted to honour a foreign national who, like Tod, has contributed through his works of permanent value an understanding of the spirit and values of Mewar. Colonel Tod spent a great deal of time and personal resources in the collection of historical documents, inscriptions, bardic accounts and genealogies of the Rajput houses and paintings from Rajasthan. When he returned to England Colonel Tod continued his research, culminating in the publication of Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (2 vols, 1829, 1832).

This year's awardees’ Sir Angus Deaton was presented with A Ceremonial Shawl, A “Toran” plaque of honour, A Citation Certificate and a cash award of Rs. 2,11001.

Sir Angus Deaton is Senior Scholar and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of Economics and International Affairs Emeritus at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School where he taught for thirty years. He is the author of five books including, most recently, The Great Escape: health, wealth, and the origins of inequality.

His interests include health, development, poverty, inequality, and wellbeing. He has written extensively on happiness, on foreign aid, and on how we should collect evidence for good policy. He was the 2015 recipient of the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel “for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare.”

He has studied many aspects of human wellbeing, including both material wellbeing and health. In his work on poverty he has dug deeply into the data to try to improve measures, both for the world as a whole, and for India in particular. He has worked on health in the US, in particular with Anne Case on mortality in midlife, and in India, where he has worked with other researchers to understand health and healthcare among both adults (in Rajasthan and in rural Udaipur) and children (in all of India).

He was born in Edinburgh in Scotland where he dreamed of escape from the cold, grey, and damp and especially of adventures in India. Today, he is a British and an American citizen; his BA, MA, and PhD are from Cambridge University. In 2016, he was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to economics and international affairs.

Haldighati Award

In the valley of Haldighati in 1576 A.D. Kunwar Man Singh of Amber led the Mughal armies against Rana Pratap who on his incomparable white stallion Chetak carried the crimson banner of Mewar into the thrust of the battle. For the first time in fifty years the Mughals suffered a setback and Haldighati shattered the myth of their invincibility.

Rana Pratap is a national hero on account of his commitment to preserve the independence of Mewar, at any cost, despite heavy odds stacked against him. Even now his life inspires those who revere the values of living with self-respect and self-reliance.

The Haldighati Award is a National Award. It is awarded to an individual for work of permanent value in awakening society through the medium of journalism, in particular, or through any other media in general. It is in this spirit that the National Award was instituted in 1982.

Mr. Praveen Swami, was presented with a ceremonial shawl, a “Toran” plaque of honour, a citation certificate and a Cash award of Rs. 1,00,001.

Mr. Praveen Swami is National Editor for Strategic and International Affairs at The Indian Express, one of India's most respected investigative news papers. He writes on regional security and intelligence issues, He has earlier worked as Resident Editor of The Hindu in New Delhi, as National Security Analyst for CNN-IBN Television and Firstpost.com, and as Diplomatic Editor of The Daily Telegraph in London.

Mr. Swami has won several major awards for his work. These include the Indian Express - Ramnath Goenka Print Journalist of the Year Prize 2006; the Prem Bhatia Award for Political Journalism 2003 and the Sanskriti Sammaan 1999.

He is the author of India, Pakistan and the Secret Jihad: the Covert War in Jammu and Kashmir, 1947-2002, published by Routledge in January, 2007. The book was written while he was a Jennings Randolph senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., in 2004-2005. His other work includes a 1999 book, The Kargil War, chapters in several edited volumes, and papers in journals including The India Review, Contemporary South Asia, the CTC Sentinel of the Combating Terrorism Centre at West Point, Faultlines and the South Asia Intelligence Review.

In addition to his work as a journalist, Mr. Swami is currently working on a series of short stories on the conflict in Kashmir, as well as a book on the jihadist movement in India, both scheduled for publication in 2017.

Born in 1969, Mr. Swami read history at King's College, Cambridge University.

Hakim Khan Sur Award

Hakim Khan Sur was a Pathan who came to Mewar from the Deccan. He became a general in Rana Pratap's army and fought to uphold the freedom and beliefs of his adopted home in the epic battle of Haldighat (1576 A.D.) against the invading Mughal army of Emperor Akbar. Despite being a follower of Islam he was the first to lay down his life in battle fighting the Mughal army thereby fulfilling his commitment to uphold the freedom and honour of his chosen homeland, Mewar.

His sacrifice is symbolic of the supremacy of ideology over religious and communal consideration - a unique example of his belief in the principles and commitment of unquestionable loyalty and devotion to Manav Dharma.

The Hakim Khan Sur Award is National Award. This award has been instituted to honour work of permanent value for the cause of national integration. It is in this spirit the National Award was instituted in 1986.

Mr. Shailesh Lodha was presented a ceremonial shawl, a “Toran” plaque of honour, a citation certificate and a cash award of Rs. 1,00,001

Mr. Shailesh Lodha widely recognized as one of the most distinctive and socially accepted poetactors has made his mark in this complex landscape by integrating the nation and society through various media communications specifically stage and television.

He believes laughter is not only the best medicine but also the best way of bonding with society. Shailesh has connected people through his poetry and satire over the last thirty five years. Through his multifaceted pursuits and content creation, across various fields, he has positively impacted the public consciousness and has emerged as an iconic socio - cultural voice that resonates across different segments of society.

Shailesh has been a balkavi, weaving the fabric of Indian culture through his poems like 'Sanskar', 'Maa' and 'Betiyan'. His poetry has attracted a loyal following of fans in the Indian diaspora across the world where he is known as a poet who is a true ambassador of Indian culture and ethos. His poetry rendition usually produces a mix of joyful laughter and tears.

His socially relevant campaigns; Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India) have won great compliments and in his TV performances shows 'Comedy Circus Season 2' and 'Comedy ka Maha Muqabla'. He conjures a special Indian flavour when his stand up acts highlight national issues. He has always been a 'Comedian with a cause'.

He is the only poet - anchor who has hosted the maximum number of TV poetry shows 'Wah Wah', 'Kya Baat Hai', 'Bahut Khoob' and 'Wah Wah Kya Baat Hai' He has encouraged many budding poets to showcase their poetic talent on Indian television through these shows. His poetry collection 'To Mat Padho Meri Kavitaein' is a socio-cultural memory-scape of India. In another poetry collection 'Ek baat teri, Ek baat meri', co authored by Dr. Swati Lodha, is a splendid collection of contrasting poetry by two people on the theme of life.

He is a sought after inspirational speaker at various forums who advocate Indian ethos and propagates Indian culture among Youth.
Shailesh Lodha plays an integral part in the world's longest running daily comedy TV show 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' both as an actor and sutradhaar. The USP of the show is mixing social messages with comedy.

A naturally gifted actor with extraordinary and accurate comic timing, he enjoys the creative work he produces on screen. A man of many talents he has also written a book with his wife Dr. Swati Lodha in 2002 titled “Come on! Get Set Go” which won “Rashtriya Rajbhasha Puraskar” and was translated into more than ten languages.

He has been awarded Hindi Sewa Samman 2017; Srijan Samman 2016; Bharat Gaurav 2015; Best Actor at Gold Awards 2012; Best Comic Actor at ITA Awards 2011; Rajasthan Gaurav Award by Rajasthan Association of North America 2008 and many others.

He always carries Rajasthan in his heart, an ardent admirer of everything that belongs here.

Maharana Udai Singh Award

The tumultuous life of Maharana Udai Singh (1537-1572 A.D.) stands in marked contrast to the tranquility and beauty of the City that today bears his name. After narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, Udai Singh lived for years in exile in Kumbhalgarh. In 1553 he founded the City of Udaipur and began to build a new palace on the shores of Lake Pichola. Thus, Udaipur became the new capital of Mewar.

At the beginning of the 21st century, we are standing at the cutting edge of urbanization, growth and development. In the 20th century, much of this development has been a product of unplanned haphazard growth which has lead to environmental degradation. The issues of development and maintenance of environmental balance are inextricable linked. Environmental growth has been a central tradition to the House of Mewar.

The Maharana Udai Singh Award is a National Award. This award has been instituted to honour work of permanent value in protecting and enriching the environment, hand-in-hand with future development. It is in this spirit that the National Award was instituted in 1996.

Dr. R. Vasudevan, M.Sc., PhD. was presented with a ceremonial shawl, a “Toran” plaque of honour, a citation certificate and a cash award of Rs 1,00,001.

Dr. R. Vasudevan, M.Sc., PhD., is the DEAN ECA & Professor of Department of Chemistry, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He has teaching experience of 42 years with 5 international and 12 national paper published. He obtained his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry.

In 2005 he was assigned a project to Study the Characterization and Utilisation of Waste Plastics - Green Technology; in 2009 Utilization of waste flexible packaging films and study on bitumen emulsions; in 2013-2016 Utilisation of E-waste by the Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi. The project costs were worth 1 crore.

He was awarded further important projects by AICTE (All India Council For Technical Education) New Delhi, entitled MODROBS-Modern Electrochemical Lab in 1998 and MODROBS-Conducting Polymer Characterization in 2000. These projects studied the characteristic of polymers and to extend the use of the conducting polymers. The Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi also signed a MoU with him on the Preparation of Status Report on Reuse of Plastics Waste in Road Construction and MoU on Performance Studies on Built Plastic Tar Roads.

He was awarded a Patent in 2006 - New mix design of waste plastics aggregate bitumen for flexible pavements.

Dr. R. Vasudevan's innovations are to simplify easy measurement of density of polymers; A novel method to determine the penetration of Mastic tiles; Polymer coated aggregate for flexible pavements; Waste polymer coated roofing sheets; Calcium alginate pad for the cure of diabetics wounds; Bio diesel and their purification from local seeds.
His book titled 'Personal Management to Personnel Management' is published with another underway titled 'Chemistry in Daily Life'.

Dr. R. Vasudevan is a man on a mission to clean India of its plastic waste. With the aim of changing the way plastic is treated in the country, in 2002 he innovated a technique of making roads using plastic waste. Soon after he patented the technology, when he could have made his fortune selling the technology to private companies, he chose to share his expertise with the Government of India for free. While the world is struggling to find a method of disposing of plastic, Vasudevan, with his persisting experiments, has found a way forward on this global issue!

As a matter of fact, Central Pollution Control Board says more than 15000 tons of plastic waste is generated daily. The supreme court of India describes the situation as “sitting on a time bomb”. Dr. Vasudevan has a different approach towards plastic. While most environmentalists talk about putting a ban on plastic and replacing it with other materials, Vasudevan describe it as 'poor man's friend'. He presented an argument in favour of the use of plastic stating its advantages. Some of them include chemical inertness, it is unbreakable; it is good packaging material, waterproof, compact and easy to transport, it has a comparatively low energy consumption and cost level. Instead of replacing the material completely, his approach was to deal with the waste generated in a better way. This idea led him to conduct experiments and come up with a technology to lay roads utilizing plastic waste productively.

So how does he exactly utilize plastic waste? It's a very easy process that can be adopted by anybody and it doesn't even require any additional heavy machinery. First plastic is shredded to a specific size. Aggregate mix and bitumen are heated separately to a temperature of 165 degrees and 160 degrees respectively. Shredded plastic is added to aggregate mix where it takes a minute for the plastic to get coated over the aggregate uniformly. This mix is then added to hot bitumen and used for road construction. It is an eco-friendly process producing no extra toxins. Fly ash can also be added to increase the road strength.

A question in everyone's mind is how does a 'plastic' road wear against traditional roads? Tests prove that there is an increase in the road strength as plastic has good binding properties and increases the bond of the mix. Roads can withstand heavier loads. They are water resistant and don't have potholes or stripping. The life of the road is increased substantially and maintenance costs are decreased. It has proven to be a very good technique of road construction.

The amount of waste utilized in this process is 1 tonne of plastic waste and 9 tonnes of bitumen for a 1 km road (3.75m wide). If plastic waste is not used, then 10 tonnes of bitumen is used for the same road. The saving of a tonne of bitumen is roughly 50,000 INR. One tonne of plastic waste equals 10 Lakh of carrier bags. It is a complete win-win. Not only are we getting rid of plastic waste effectively, but we also get superior quality roads.

The technique was first used to make a road inside the campus of the Thiagarajar College of Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Vasudevan's guidance. This was just the beginning and soon after it was adopted by many towns and cities in various states across the country: in Kovilpatti, Salem,Wellington, Chennai, Puducherry, Hindpur (Andhra Pradesh), Kolkata, Goa, Shimla, Thiruvananthapuram, Vadakara, Calicut, Kothamangalam, Madurai, Jamshedpur and Kochi. In Tamil Nadu, the District Rural Development Agency laid 1200 km of plastic roads in 29 districts across the State. Now metro cities Mumbai and Hyderabad also plan to lay longer stretches of tar-polymer roads. In 2015 The Government of India made it a rule for road developers to utilize plastic waste in road construction within 50 km radius of any city with a population over 5 lakh.

However, this is not the end of Dr Vasudevan's work. His team is now working on various processes in the development of plastone ( synthetic granite) which is a good structural material with various uses for pathways, blocks, canal lining ,ready-made walls. These uses consume 30 times more plastic waste than a road. The development of these processes could mean that waste plastic disposal will no longer be a problem for the world particularly as this process uses cold emulsion instead of hot bitumen. Dr. Vasudevan's work has attracted the interest of Widener University, Philadelphia who believe this process could be used in colder regions. With this innovation, if executed extensively, Dr Vasudevan could solve the problem of plastic pollution. “It serves the twin purpose of increasing quality of roads and also solves the problem of plastic disposal. “My vision is to eventually replace all existing roads and lay every new road with this technology,” says the professor. Such is the vision of the only 'Plastic man of India' who views plastic as a resource and a blessing.

He was awarded with Tech Icon of India, awarded by India Today Group by The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi on October 2nd 2015; Nominee in Amazing Indians-Conducted by Times Now Group; Tapman Award by Tamil Nadu Plastics Manufactures Association.

Panna Dhai Award

Panna Dhai was a dhai or foster mother to the young prince of Mewar Kunwar Udai Singh, the rightful successor to the Gaddi, of Mewar. Banbir, who was an outsider, wanted to usurp this position and remove all impediments including young Kunwar. One night, Banbir entered the quarters of Kunwar Udai Singh, determined to eliminate him. Panna Dhai had suspecting malicious intentions placed her own child in the bed of the young prince. Her fierce loyalty extended far beyond any call of duty. The House of Mewar will always be indebted to her.

The Panna Dhai Award is a National Award. It has been instituted to honour a person who ventures beyond the call of duty in the face of immense hostility and sets an example in society of permanent value through sacrifice. It is in this spirit that the National Award was instituted in 1997.

Captain Radhika Menon was presented with a ceremonial shawl, a “Toran” plaque of honour, a Citation Certificate and a cash award of Rs. 1,00,001.

Captain Radhika Menon is the first woman captain of the Indian Merchant Navy, Master of the oil products tanker Sampurna Swarajya. She received the 2016 International Maritime Organisation Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for her role in the dramatic rescue of seven fishermen from a sinking fishing boat in tumultuous seas in the Bay of Bengal in June 2015.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

The IMO Council, on its 116th session in London, endorsed the decision of a panel of Judges that Captain Menon displayed great determination, rendered selfless service, rising beyond the call of duty and courage in leading the difficult rescue operation.

Captain Menon is also the first woman in the world to receive the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

She was nominated by the Government of India, for the rescue of all seven fishermen from the fishing boat Durgamma, which was adrift following engine failure and loss of anchor in severe weather. Food and water had been washed away and they were surviving on ice from the cold storage. On the 22nd June 2015, through wave heights of more than 25 feet, winds of more than 60 knots and heavy rain, while the vessel M.T. Sampurna Swarajya was 53 nautical miles of Gopalpur, en route to Vishakhapatnam, the second officer on the Sampurna Swarajya spotted the boat 2.5 kilometres from the starboard bow. From the Bridge, The Ship Master saw 7 men on the deck of a fishing boat waving for help. The wind was South-Westerly - 60 to 70 knots, heavy rains, swell height 7 to 9 meters owing to deep depression.

The fishermen were fishing in Kakinada basin on 16th June 2015, when wind had picked up and the sea became very rough. They had tried speeding towards shelter but the boat's engine failed. They had then tried to anchor the boat but lost anchor. The boat had then drifted in stormy weather. They had survived at sea for 5 days without food by sucking ice from the fish hatch.

Captain Menon immediately ordered a rescue operation, utilising the pilot ladder and with life jackets and buoys on standby. It took three arduous attempts in the lashing wind and rain and heavy swells before all seven weak and starving fishermen, aged from 15 to 50 years old, were brought to safety on board the ship.

The National Maritime Day Celebrations (Central) Committee took pride in bestowing the 'NMD Gallantry At Sea Award' to Capt. (Mrs.) Radhika Menon, Master, M.T. Sampurna Swarajya on 5th April 2016.

A resident of Kodungallur in District Thrissur, Kerala, after Captain Menon graduated from school, she studied a one-and-a-half year radio course at the All India Marine College in Kochi. After completing her radio course, she assumed the post of radio officer with merchant ships of Shipping Corporation of India.

She opted for conversion to Navigating officer and cleared a series of examination for posts of second mate, chief mate and 2010 she cleared the Master Mariner FG exams.

In 2012 she made history when she became the first woman captain of India and took charge of MT Suvarna Swarajya, a Merchant Navy ship.

Today we look at her extraordinary life, one that exudes confidence and valour in the face of danger, in addition to the many sacrifices she has made to keep sailing ahead.

Maharishi Harit Rashi Award

Maharishi Harit Rashi Award is a State Award. This award has been instituted to honour scholars for work of permanent value in awakening society through the medium of Vedic culture, the ancient 'Shastras' and 'Karma Kand'.

Professor Ramakant Pandey and Dr. Lata Shrimali were presented a ceremonial shawl, a  “Toran” plaque of honour, a citation certificate and a cash award of Rs 51,001 each*.

Prof. Pandey has delivered inaugural lectures in the seminars, organized by various Universities. He has been invited to deliver lecture in a verity of refresher courses. He has presented research papers in around 135 National and International seminars till now.

Prof. Pandey presided over independent session on Distance Education during 16th World Sanskrit Conference, organized at Bangkok, Thailand. There has been an important role of Prof. Pandey in the development of Sanskrit Distance Education, its designing and production of course material. While working in Jaipur campus of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, he extended his help to Vardhman Mahavir Open University, Kota in the subject of Sanskrit in the mode of Distance Education along with the same to Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan. Consistently, he was appointed the Director of Muktaswadhyayapeetham (Institute of Distance Education) of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, established for development of Distance Education in Sanskrit. Prof. Pandey has been instrumental in organizing a number of seminars on the Sanskrit literature of Rajasthan and on other subjects.

He has published till now 50 books, 80 research papers, 125 critical articles and many books conducive to the students of Distance Education. 16 students have attained Ph.D. degree under his supervision. He has the honour to have been invited in the capacity of visiting professor in the Dr. H.S. Gour University, Sagar for a period of two years.

Presently, he is rendering his valuable service to the Muktaswadhyayapeetham of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi in the capacity of its Professor Director. Prof. Pandey is a member of a committee constituted by NAAC to set separate norms for accreditation of Sanskrit Universities and Institutes.

Dr. Lata Shrimali, born in Jaipur, Rajasthan is the daughter of Smt. Suraj Shrimali and Shri Shyam Lal Shrimali, a retired judge and renowned astrologer in the field of K.P. Systems.

She was included in the merit list of the secondary and higher secondary examination, board of secondary education, Rajasthan. She gained a post graduate and doctoral degree in Astrology and Sanskrit as well as Bachelor of Laws from the University of Rajasthan. She also gained Vishist Upakhaya (astro/vasto) from Jagatguru Ramanandacharya Sanskrit University, Jaipur and Sangeet Visharad in Instrumental Music for the Violin.

Applauding her dedication to astrology, various Institutions have awarded her; Neetu Singh Kisnawat Jyotish Mani Award; Chief Minister of Rajasthan has recognised her work with Brahaman Ratna for her specialisation with K.P. Systems. She has been awarded Rajasthan Gaurav Award and Meritorious Award at a conference held at Pushkar, Rajasthan.

She has had more than 260 research papers published. She has carried out a study of 44 and 26 horoscopes relating to leucoderma and thyroid diseases respectively. Her articles on medical astrology have also been published in leading national news papers and have enthralled her readers.

She was invited as a guest speaker to deliver a talk on Mangal Dosh as a comparative study of both Parashar and K.P. Systems by museums and archaeology departments, Govt. of Rajasthan. She was invited as sole speaker on the topic “Transit of Mercury” in March 2016 by Science and Technology Department, Govt. of Rajasthan.

As the sole women astrologer representative, she represented Rajasthan in all India Sanskrit Sammelan organized by Delhi Sanskrit Academy, Govt. Of Rajasthan. Her two books, “Kalatra Bhav” and “Graho Ki Gatha” are being published.

Currently she is working as a Gazetted Officer in the Govt. of Rajasthan engaged in her pursuit of research in the field of Astrology. She is also busy researching how to manage the challenge of living with illness through recitation of mantras of Atharvaveda and Ayurvedic treatment.

Maharana Mewar Award

Maharana Mewar Award is a State Award. This award has been instituted to honour work of permanent value to those who consider it their duty, like the Diwan of Shree Eklingnath ji, to serve society through services in the field of education, literature, social services, philanthropy and character building activities.

Mr. Yatindra Mishra, Ms. Gulabi Sapera, 'Dhanvanti' and Master Warrant Officer K.L. Rao (Retd.) were presented with a ceremonial shawl, a  “Toran” plaque of honour, a Citation certificate and a Cash award of Rs. 51,001 each*.

Mr. Yatindra Mishra, Poet, Editor and Cinema Scholar has four collections of Hindi poetry to his credit Yada Kada, Ayodhya Tatha Anya Kavitayein, Dyorhi Par Aalap and Vibhas. As a Music and Film critic he has also written Girija (The life and works of Thumri singer Girija Devi), Devpriya (Conversation with the dancer Sonal Mansingh), Sur ki Baradari (Life and times of the Shehnai Maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan) and Humsafar (An authentic classical analysis of the musical journey of Hindi Cinema on its centenary). Yaar Julahe (A compilation of non-cinematic poetry of Gulzar) and Meelon se Din, a compilation of film songs of Gulzar that have been edited by him. Meelon se Din won the Best Publication Award for year 2010. He has also translated the twelfth century Lingayat mystic Poet Akka Mahadevi's Vachanas into Hindi titled Bhairavi. He has also edited several poetry and prose Anthologies of eminent writers including Ajaneya, Kunwar Narain and Ashok Vajpaee. Translations of his writings Girija, Ayodhya Series of Poems, Vibhas, Yaar Julahe and Meelon se Din have been well received in German, Urdu and English languages.

He is a recipient of numerous awards including Bhartiya Jnanpitha Fellowship; Raza Foundation Award, Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award; H.K. Trivedi Memorial Young Journalism Award; Dwarka Prasad Agarwal Bhaskar Yuva Puraskar; Bharat Bhushan Agarwal Smriti Puraskar; Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad Yuva Puraskar; Hemant Smriti Kavita Samman; Parampara Rituraj Samman. He has received an Independent Fellowship from C.S.D.S (Sarai), New Delhi. He has worked as a Channel Advisor to DD Bharati (Doordarshan Kendra, Prasar Bharati, New Delhi) for 2014-2016.

Recently he has published a book on the Musical Journey of the legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar titled Lata : Sur-Gatha.

Ms. Gulabi Sapera, 'Dhanvanti' was born into nomadic Kalbeliya tribe in Ajmer, Rajasthan in November 1972. She was the seventh child of her parents. She suffered the fate of many girls from her community by being buried alive by the elders just one hour of her birth She was rescued by her aunt and has lived to become a celebrity performing folk artist.

Recalling her childhood, Gulabi said that the Sapera community, traditionally engaged in catching and “charming” serpents, didn't want to be burdened with looking after a girl child in their jungle encampments, and would kill girls as soon as they were born. “But my father didn't agree with the practice. Ours was one of the very few homes that had three girls, all born before me. I was the seventh child. The elders managed to bury me since my father was not home the day I was born.”

Life for this eminent folk artist was not easy. Coming from the nomadic Kalbeliya tribe of Rajasthan, she used to accompany her father while he went out to beg. She danced to the tune of the been, the wooden instrument used by a snake charmers but later started performing on stage. Things changed for her when she was spotted by the Official of the Tourism Department, Government of Rajasthan, who spotted her performing at the Pushkar Mela in 1981. After this incident she rose to popularity, as she showcased her talent. It is all due to Gulabi that the Kalbelia dance come, exclusively to Rajasthan.

A legendary folk artist, Gulabi conceptualized and choreographed her own dance style 'Kalbeliya' that is now identified across the globe. With her success her nomadic community has gained never imagined recognition. Watching snakes move to the tunes of her father's been she created the now famous whirling Sapera dance form with steps that correlate to the movements of a snake. The dance form, she introduced, is today one of the major features of the state of Rajasthan identified on tourist maps by a black dress adorned with tiny mirror embellishments and cotton thread braids.

She has taken the dance to new heights travelling the globe informing people about this little-known art form. She is visiting faculty at institutions in Denmark and France. The worldwide popularity of Kalbeliya dance form along with the efforts of Gulabi have found a place on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Her contribution has played a significant part in the development of international culture on the music circuit along with jazz bands.

In the span of her 30 years of career, she has been felicitated with several accolades and honors such as Sangeet Natak Academy Award, President's Award, Rajasthan Gaurav Award and Woman of the Year in 2008.

Having performed her Sapera dance in over 165 countries, Gulabi has lately been collaborating with the French composer Thierry 'Titi' Robin and Véronique Guillien. The duo released a 14-track album 'Rakhi' in 2002, featuring a fusion of Robin's Mediterranean music with Rajasthan's rusty gypsy sounds performed by Gulabi.

In 2016 The Government of India awarded her the civilian honour of the Padma Shri for her contribution to the art of folk dance.

She doesn't believe in owning a copyright for her dance art. She wants it to be kept free and spread amongst the hearts of young girls and across all college festivals. She says that Sapera dance has no calculated steps, unlike other dance forms. It is natural and free, having a beginning but no end.

Master Warrant Officer K.L. Rao (Retd.), born on 12th May 1944 in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

He has served the Indian Air Force for about 39 years mainly in Fighter Squadrons. He is also an expert aircraft technician with a wide ranging experience in fighter bomber aircraft. During his career in IAF, he attended several courses to rise to the rank of MWO. He officiated as technical adjutant at Air Force Station Jodhpur prior to his retirement in 2001.

After settling down to his civil life at Udaipur, he penned a book titled 'Indian Air Force - Glorious Past to Present'. The book highlights the glorious history of the Indian Air Force from a small Air Force to one of the mightiest Air Forces of the World, along with the courage, valour, leadership and the dedication of its personnel in the various wars India faced with its neigbouring Countries from the World War-II onwards. It describes the details of aircraft and helicopters used By IAF in World War-II and those used in the Kashmir operation 1947-48 with photographs and salient features.

Another book he wrote is 'History of the Indian Army' published after in-depth research covers the pre and post independence history of the Army. This book describes in detail the history of Indian Army from its inception, along with East India Company's arrival in India and the campaigns undertaken by British-Indian Army within the country and overseas. The book contains a list of all the Commanders-in-Chief of pre-independence era, Indian recipients of The Victoria Cross and recipients of Param Vir Chakra, all Honours and Awards with a description of each medal, ribbon and monetary allowances.

Master Warrant Officer K.L. Rao was one of the recipients of President's Colour when his squadron was presented Colour on 15th December 1979.

Maharana Kumbha Award

Maharana Kumbha is a State Award instituted to honour works of permanent value to society through the medium of history and literature. This year it was awarded to Dr. Malika Bohra and Mr. Lalit Sharma.

Dr. Malika Bohra was born in Dungarpur, Rajasthan. She studied for an MA in History, PG Diploma in Journalism and Post PG Diploma in Archaeology and Ancient History. She was given a PhD for her work on 'Fresco tradition of Dungarpur State Social and Cultural from early 18th century to 1940' in 2004 She also submitted her Post Doctoral Research thesis in 2010 on 'Architecture of Dungarpur State during 18th Century'.

From 2000 she has been working as a Lecturer in History and has 15 years of experience in the field of Research work. She has also been contributing articles in various newspapers with around 400 articles published.

She has authored many books including Dungarpur Rajya Ki Bhittichirankan Parampara: Samaj Evam Sanskriti; 18th Century Ki Sthapatyakala; Prachin Bharat Ka Itihas Volume 1, Part 1; Prachin Bharat Ka Itihas Volume 1, Part 2; Prachin Bharat Ka Itihas Volume 2, Part 1 and Prachin Bharat Ka Itihas Volume 2, Part 2.

Presently she is working as a Lecturer in the History Department at Maharana Pratap Government PG College, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.

She has worked on almost 49 research papers in joint collaboration with many institutes and departments on various subjects: the Role of Sufism in the sociocultural environment of Rajasthan with special reference to their teaching; Recent excavations in Eastern India; History and Traditions of Storage and Agrarian Systems; Trade Routes and Trade Centres in India up to the 19th Century. Much of her research work has been published.

She participated in a short research fellowship from Al-Vazarat-us-Saifiyah, Mumbai that involved visiting different centres of Mesopatamia's Tigris and the Euphrates river valleys Karbala, Najaf, Kufa, Babylon.

She was awarded JRF in 2001 by the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi to work on the 'Fresco tradition of Dungarpur State Social and Cultural from early 18th century to 1940 AD. She was also awarded a publication grant in 2006 by ICHR - New Delhi for her thesis entitled 'Fresco tradition of Dungarpur State Social and Cultural from early 18th century to 1940 AD awarded PDF in 2017 by the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi to work on the 'Architecture of Dungarpur State during 18th Century'.

She has been awarded by many research institutes for her work in the field of History. She received a District Level Award from the Administration of Dungarpur in 1997; Mangal Muskan Award for Historical Research and Studies 2015; State Level Award on Teachers Day on 5th September 2015 for her contribution towards Higher Education and Research sponsored by Rajeev Gandhi Sadbhavna and Gramottan Sansthan, Jaipur; Mahaveer International, Dungarpur, Silver Jubilee Year 2011.

Mr. Lalit Sharma is an eminent writer born at Jhalawar, Rajasthan on 2nd July 1963.

He completed his MA in ancient history architecture and did BEd in History. He played a challenging role in enlightening Hadoti and Malva History with its Sculptures, Temples and Forts.

His pioneering work includes a collection of ancient and medieval coins of that era which are very unique and further discovered 18 shilalekha (Khinchi) at Gugore Fort Chhabra Baran. These shilalekhs / inscriptions belong to the Khinchi Dynasty of the Medieval era. He also discovered Ramtanka and Asmokaran at Gagron Fort, Jhalawar which belongs to Tamrapashan Kaal. The collections of Prachin Pandulipis are remarkable. He developed a Museum at Jhalawar which showcases the history of Jhalawar region.

He has to his name 1500 publications in various international and national journals. He has authored several books including Gagron Fort; Saint Pipaji, Jhalawar; History of Jhalawar; Jhalawar and Hadoti Murti; Coins and Pandulipi of Jhalawar; Jhalawar Ke Shilaleka. His books and topics of history are being studied at Vikram University, Ujjain; Kota University and Kota Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan.

He has been awarded and honored by several societies for his remarkable contribution to the field of history. He has received Sahitya Shri Samman 2013; Sukhrani Devi Smriti Award - 2014, MP; Itihas Sanskriti Samman (State level), Appreciation letter for his commendable contribution in the field of history on 15th August 2013 by Hon'ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan; Jhalawar Gaurav Samman 2016 by Tourism Development Samiti, Jhalawar.

Maharana Sajjan Singh Award

Maharana Sajjan Singh Award is a State Award instituted to honour work of permanent value to society through the medium of paintings, fine art, sculpture, architecture and craft. This year it was conferred to Mr. Ram Swaroop Sharma (Jangid), and Mr. Gopal Swami Khetanchi.

Mr. Ram Swaroop Sharma (Jangid), born on 7th July 1955 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He is a master in the craft called 'Tarkashi Inlay' (wire inlay work on wood) working for the last 43 years.

Tarkashi is a technique of inlaying fine flat wire (brass, copper or silver) in wood. It has been practiced by the Jangid Community that migrated from Manipuri in U.P. to Jaipur about 45 years ago. Seasoned dark sheesam wood is engraved with a half round chisel and hammer (1 mm deep). To inlay the wire in wood a hammer is used to beat it. Then the surface is evened with a sander or silli. Saw dust and adhesive is then applied over the surface. The motifs, which are usually geometric or floral in nature are mainly derived from the Mughal style of art.

He trained for this craft with Shri Shravan Lal Mishra (National Awardee - 1966) from 1963-1972 at Sawai Ram Singh Shilp Kala Mandir, Jaipur.
He was bestowed with the most prestigious Shilp Guru Award from Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in 2014 for his contribution in Tarkashi Inlay (brass, copper and silver wire inlay).

He was bestowed with First State Award of Rajasthan - 1983-84; National Merit Award in 1988 and 1996; Raja Bhagwant Das Award by The City Palace, Jaipur - 2006 and National Award -2008.

He attended training programmes at Leonbarg City in West Germany in April - May 1985 organized by the Government of India and West Germany as well as a programme in South Africa. He also attended Birmingham (UK) International Spring Fair held in February 2012 where he had the opportunity to demonstrate the Tarkashi craft at International level.

Mr. Gopal Swami Khetanchi born on 2nd February 1958 in a small town Sardarshahar, Churu, Rajasthan.

Coming from an artistic family in Northern Rajasthan, his father Shri Khetaram ji was a painter who worked as an art teacher in a government school in Sardarshahar. He grew up in Rajasthan in an artistic environment and started painting himself at the age of 15 on portraits before diversifying. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing and Painting from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

He then developed his painting skills in Mumbai where he worked as an assistant art director with Manzoor ul Haq on several Bollywood films; Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Abdullah (1980), Jwalamukhi (1980) and Kaalia (1981). He then worked as illustrator for Rajasthan Patrika for 2 years. He returned to Rajasthan and started painting forts and depicting the State in his work. Over the years, he has captured the culture, traditions, rural beauty, crafts and textiles of Rajasthan. He received recognition in 2003, when his work was exhibited in both New Delhi and Jaipur.

Another art form he is associated with is calendar kitsch. Distinguishing features of his style are uniqueness, delicacy and swiftness of drawing. Though he is recognized as a realist painter and self-identifies as such, his works span from romanticism to deep realism and are held in various private and corporate collections in India and abroad. His paintings have been displayed at solo and group exhibitions at Jaipur, New Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Dubai and London.

He started working with oil on canvas in1971. He has not experimented with acrylics as he feels that he has better control on colour values with oil.

His work embraces several styles Realism, Surrealism and Abstraction, combining traditional and modern art. In 2006, the style in his exhibition 'Shringar' combined the fine linework of Rajasthani miniature paintings with the prettiness of Victorian kitsch. By 2011, he had moved from pure figuration to conceptual images and was starting to experiment with different palettes and imaging styles.

He is known for giving a unique Indian or Rajasthani touch to his works, especially to textiles and background.

His painting titled 'Bani-Thani' was used in the promotion for Le Festival des Écrivains du monde: Écrivains de l'Inde held in Paris in 2014 and was shown on the cover of the November–December 2014 edition of Nouvelles De L'Inde, the bimonthly publication of the Indian Embassy in Paris.

He has won several awards and his work has been exhibited widely in India and abroad; Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur 2002; Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi 2003; Mahakaal at Surekh Gallery, Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur 2003; Shringar at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur 2006; A Tribute to The Masters at Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, London 2008; Dharohar at Surekh Gallery, Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur 2010; Gandhi-Giri at Art Positive, Delhi 2010; Rajputana at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur 2012; Group show at Art Chill, Amber Fort, Jaipur 2008; Artscape Epicenter, Gurgaon 2008; MOSA shows in Bangkok, China and Spain from 2013-15; YOGA show in New Delhi 2015; Art Positive, New Delhi 2011.

He believes that while art may not offer solutions to social problems, it helps bring them into focus. He sees himself as a realist or a sincere friend of actual truth, and chose realistic art because it is nearer to human interest and at the same time it is very much challenging. His conviction to use his freedom on canvas separates him from many of his contemporaries.

Dagar Gharana Award

Dagar Gharana Award is a State Award named after the illustrious House of Dagar who made Dhrupad and Dhammar Gayaki their personal and identifiable symbol of excellence in Indian classical music. This award was instituted to honour musicians for work of permanent value to society through their achievements in the field of Indian classical music, Rajasthani folk dance and music.

This year the award was conferred to Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Ustad Mohammed Hussain

Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Ustad Mohammed Hussain, two brothers, who sing classical Ghazals, come from Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Ustad Ahmed Hussain was born on 3rd February 1951 and Ustad Mohammed Hussain on the 2nd December 1953, sons of the famous ghazal and thumri singer the Late Ustad Afzal Hussain, a renowned musician of his times. They started their singing career in 1958 as classical and thumri artists on All India Radio, Jaipur.

Their first album 'Guldasta' was released in 1980. Since then they have released about 50 albums including Naat, Rifaqat, Pyaar Ka Jazba, Kashish, Dil Ki Baat, Ai-Saba, Maan Bhi Ja. Despite having completely different voices, they have masterfully blended them together, with characteristic coordination of beautiful lyrics and their dulcet voices have enabled them to leave an indelible mark on the hearts and souls of Ghazal listeners everywhere.

They honed their talent for vocal classical music by following a scrupulous disciplinary regime. They have effectively applied the curative spiritual powers of their music to help heal cancer patients, the blind and physically challenged. The brothers have also performed to raise money to help those recovering from natural calamities such as earthquakes, flood and famines. They look upon music as a humanist endeavour and a curative power and not as a pursuit whose end is merely commercial entertainment.

The Hussain brothers have chosen to emphasize the importance of certain key ingredients in their music, retaining the intrinsic purity of the form, each Ghazal is approached as an individual poem for them.

The brothers are also talented composers who have created original music for films, serials, plays and documentaries and their vast repertoire touches genres like Bhajans and Hamd-Naat Shabad and Classical.
They received the title of Shansha-E-Ghazal from Ghalib Academy, Agra; Giloury of Ghazal-Sangeetayan, New Delhi and Bhajan Samraat, Varanasi. They received many awards and accolades including Rajasthan Government State Award 2014; Apna Ustad Award; Golden Jubilee Award by Ameer Khusro Foundation, New Delhi; Indira Gandhi Achievers Award by Rashtriya Rajiv Gandhi Sena, New Delhi.

They choose to apply their music as a humanistic tool to all walks of life and because of their dedication and love of music they have been honoured by Life Time Achievement Award from Kaladharmi Begum Akhtar Academy of Ghazal, Darshak Sanstha and Cultural Organization of Indians and in 2014 they received 'Bhajan Pandit' from Bajinath Tiwari Ji Parikarmawasi Dham, Mandava, Dhar, MP.

They have recently released a new album 'Khwab Basera' under the Saregama label. The album contains selected Ghazals from Dr. Hariom's 'Dhoop Ka Parcham' as well as some new ghazals.

Rana Punja Award

Rana Punja Award is a State award instituted to honour works of permanent value to society by a person of tribal origin in commemoration of the mutual trust and continued association between the Bhil tribesmen and the House of Mewar.

This year the award was conferred to Ms. Moti Meena.
Ms. Moti Meena is resident of Manpur village, Salumber which is 60 kms from Udaipur, Rajasthan.

She broke all social customs to become a health worker after her husband's death. She has shown a lot of courage to do what many women from her community were and still are afraid to do by standing up for what she believes in, shunning the regressive practice imposed in the name of tradition, and refusing to remain imprisoned within the four walls of her home after the demise of her husband.

When she lost her husband to an unknown illness in 2007, not only did she decline to remarry she made up her mind to work to support her three sons, single-handedly. She has overcome her personal struggles to emerge as a committed healthcare worker. Married at 18, widowed at 28, she has struggled hard to get back on her feet and establish herself as an independent woman.

Nine years later, this energetic tribal woman is a senior health worker with a non-government organisation that runs three clinics in remote villages of Salumber block in Udaipur. She spreads awareness on health issues and nutrition, educates women on ante-and post-natal care, checks on tuberculosis patients during the community outreach, and counsels walk-ins at the clinic at Berawal Gram Panchayat.

Around 2007, she joined Aajeevika Bureau, a non-government organization that was working in the remote villages of Salumber block, running a family empowerment programme for rural women. Her decision to work did not go down well with her in-laws who threw her out of the house and refused to look after her boys in her absence. Her parents, who lived 35 kilometres away, stepped in and also supported her financially.

She has organised many meetings of women in her village, telling them about family planning measures, spacing, contraceptives, as well as ante-natal and prenatal care. In 2012, she was given the opportunity to apply for a nine-month paramedic training to Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh.

She sat for Class 8 examination as a private candidate in 2009 and later passed her Class 10 from open school system in 2012. There were only two educated women in Manpur at the time. She now wants to train as a nurse and is studying hard to pass her Class 12.

Today, she is posted at Aajeevika Bureau's Amrit clinic, Berawal, Salumbar. The facility at Berawal covers three Panchayats - Berawal, Khajuri and Sati Ki Chori and often she has to travel nearly five kilometres a day to reach remote households. She lives in a rented accommodation in Berawal and has 15 volunteers reporting to her, most of them are illiterate.

She has set her sights higher now and believes that - when one steps outside home, one's knowledge increases. Now she wants to know everything!

Aravali Award

Aravali Award is a State Award instituted to honour and encourages outstanding sportsperson for achieving distinction in any discipline of sports and games.

Mr. Dilip Khoiwal and Mr. Suresh Khoiwal is an International Volleyball player from Fateh Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan with already many successes at International, National and State levels.

He was selected recently for the prestigious Rajasthan State Sports Prize 'Maharana Pratap Award – 2015' by the Sports Council, Rajasthan.

In 2009 Dilip Khoiwal was selected for the Indian Volleyball team to participate in the Youth World Championship held in Italy and where the team secured 7th place. This achievement gave him the inspiration and motivation to become a more successful Volleyball player.

He has now won many International, National and State Awards due to his commitment to Volleyball.

In 2014 he was the team member of Indian Volleyball team at the 17th Asian Games held at Inchon, South Korea and where the team secured 5th place; in the same year 4th AVC Cup Volleyball Championship held at Almaty, Kazakhstan - the team secured 2nd place; In 2012 3th AVC Cup Volleyball Championship held in Vietnam where the team secured 4th place; FIVB Men's Junior World Championship, 2011,at Rio De Janeiro, Brazil the team secured 8th position. The team won a gold medal in President's Cup International Volleyball Tournament held at Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2011 and gold medal in the International Volleyball Tournament, Tunisia, 2011.

Presently Dilip Khoiwal is working in the Income Tax Department at Nadiad, Gujarat.

He is a motivational force and a source of inspiration to many young people in the country.

Mr. Suresh Khoiwal is an International Volleyball player from Fateh Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

He came into limelight when he represented India in Volleyball in the Men's U-21 World Championship held in Turkey in 2013 where the Indian Team secured 8th position. Afterwards he participated in various Volleyball Championships organized at International and Nationally by the Volleyball Federation of India.
He represented India in Junior Men Volleyball Team at International Volleyball Tournament held at Kelibia, Tunisia in 2013; 16th Asian Junior Men's Volleyball Championship held at Uremia, I.R. Iran in 2012 where the Indian team secured 4th position; 18th Asian Junior Men's Volleyball Championship held at Bahrain in the year 2014.

He represented Rajasthan State in the National Games in Kerala where the team secured 3rd position in 2015. In the same year he participated in 63rd Senior National Volleyball Championship held at Chennai – the team secured 3rd position; he has also participated in 60th; 61st and 62nd Senior National Volleyball Championships.

He has now won many International, National and State Awards because of his passion for Volleyball.

He is an ardent sports person with courage, enthusiasm and determination to perform at the highest level.

Currently he is working with Indian Railways at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

He has made India proud through his achievements and is an inspiration to many young players.

Maharana Mewar Special Award for Best Police Station of Rajasthan was given to the Police Station Dargah, District Ajmer, Rajasthan for its achievement and contribution to community policing; police action planning; communal harmony; law and order maintenance as well as programmes through public private partnership.

Bhamashah Award

is a State award to honour excellence in students chosen from amongst all the Universities of Rajasthan. 18 students received this award for the academic year 2015-2016.

Maharana Raj Singh Award

is a city of Udaipur award. This award was instituted to honour deserving students of universities based within the municipal limits of Udaipur and also students from those colleges who are affiliated to these universities, but are located outside Udaipur, for distinguished achievements in Games and sport, and Cultural, literary, co-curricular and extracurricular activities conducted by a recognised body. 9 students received this award for the academic year 2015-2016.

Maharana Fateh Singh Award

is a city of Udaipur Award honouring those students who have passed the exams of Central Board of Secondary Education and Board of Secondary Education, Rajasthan from Secondary and Senior Secondary schools located within municipal limits of Udaipur. 49 students received this award for the academic year 2015-2016.