<p>Carrying forward the rich and historic traditions of Mewar, the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation organised its 42nd Annual Award Ceremony, where distinguished individuals representing excellence in human values, culture, service, and national achievement were honoured along with promising young students.</p><p>The ceremony was led by Shri Dr Lakshyaraj Singhji Mewar, Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Foundation. </p><p>The event began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and floral tributes offered to Eklingnathji and the Foundation’s founder Maharana Bhagwat Singhji Mewar, formally inaugurating the proceedings.</p><p>During his address, Dr Mewar grew emotional while remembering his father Maharana Arvind Singhji Mewar. As the 77th Custodian (Diwan) of Eklingji, he reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the proud legacy and cultural traditions of Mewar, guided by the values instilled in him by his father. To honour his memory and legacy, Dr Mewar announced the institution of a new national recognition — the “Maharana Arvind Singhji Mewar Award.”</p><p>Distinguished awardees from India and abroad were welcomed with traditional floral greetings. The ceremony began with the recognition of 81 meritorious students, whose achievements were celebrated with a standing ovation from the audience.</p><p><strong>International Award</strong></p><p>The Colonel James Tod received Dr Molly Emma Aitken (USA), an eminent scholar of Indian miniature painting, particularly the Mewar and Rajput court painting traditions. Her work represents a modern continuation of the legacy associated with James Tod, whose historical writings helped bring the cultural heritage of Mewar to global attention.</p><p><strong>National Awards</strong></p><p>The Haldighati Award was conferred upon Kamlesh Kishore Singhji, a senior journalist with more than three decades of experience in Indian media. Known for his work in digital journalism and for strengthening Hindi media, Singh has also played a significant role in mentoring young journalists. His widely followed podcast Teen Taal, where he appears as “Tau,” has gained popularity for encouraging thoughtful public discourse on contemporary issues.</p><p>The Hakim Khan Sur Award was presented to Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik, Vir Chakra (VrC) awardee and serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He was decorated for his extraordinary bravery during Operation Sindoor in 2025. A highly skilled fighter pilot, Squadron Leader Malik is entrusted with critical operational responsibilities. Hailing from Imphal East district in Manipur, he has emerged as a source of pride for both his state and the nation.</p><p>The Maharana Udai Singh Award for environmental conservation was conferred upon Marimuthu Yoganathan, widely known as the “Tree Man of India.” A bus conductor with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Yoganathan has spent nearly four decades promoting environmental awareness and tree plantation. To date, he has planted over 500,000 trees and continues to inspire citizens toward ecological responsibility.</p><p><strong>Panna Dhai Award</strong></p><p>The Panna Dhai Award, presented for acts that go beyond the call of duty, was collectively conferred upon the dedicated crew members of Jet Airways Flight 9W 569, who successfully handled an emergency childbirth at an altitude of 35,000 feet in 2017.</p><p>Despite limited resources and the absence of medical facilities onboard, the crew demonstrated exceptional courage, composure, and compassion. The team members included Isha Jaykar, Tejas Chavan, Catherine Varshney, Sushmita David, and Deborah Tavares, who together helped safely deliver the baby. </p><p>Meanwhile, in the cockpit, Captain Pranav Chhabria and Captain Martin Fesanek managed the operational challenges during the critical situation. The child born during the flight, named Jetson, attended the ceremony with his family, making the moment especially memorable.</p><p><strong>Inaugural Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar Award</strong></p><p>The first Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar Award was presented to Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of The Indian Hotels Company Limited, for his outstanding leadership and contribution to India’s tourism and hospitality sector.</p><p><strong>State-Level Honours</strong></p><p>At the state level, the Maharshi Harit Rashi Award was presented to Devvrat Mahesh Rekhe, a 19-year-old Vedic scholar, who recited the rare Dandkram Vikritipath of the Shukla Yajurveda (Madhyandina branch) from memory over 50 days in Varanasi. He is considered only the second scholar in nearly 200 years to complete this rare Vedic recitation, marking a historic moment for the revival of ancient Vedic traditions.</p><p>The Maharana Mewar Award for outstanding service to society was conferred upon K Prithika Yashini, India’s first transgender woman Sub-Inspector of Police, and senior journalist Bhuvanesh Jain, Deputy Editor at Patrika Group, who has spent over four decades reporting on politics, urban development, crime, education, and social issues.</p><p>The Maharana Kumbha Award for contributions to Indian culture, literature, and history was presented to noted Hindi and Rajasthani writer Tarun Kumar Dadhich.</p><p>The Maharana Sajjan Singh Award for fine arts was conferred upon internationally acclaimed sand artist Ajay Rawat, founder of the National Sand Art Park in Pushkar, known for monumental sand sculptures including a 51-foot statue of Maharana Pratap.</p><p>The Dagar Gharana Award for music was presented to legendary Hindustani classical flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan.</p><p>The Rana Punja Award for tribal upliftment was conferred upon Mandana artist Dimple Chandat for her efforts to preserve and document Mandana tribal art traditions.</p><p><strong>Aravali Sports Awards</strong></p><p>The Aravali Awards were presented to Ram Ratan Jat and Avani Lekhara for their achievements in sports.</p><p>Ram Ratan Jat, Chief Petty Officer in the Indian Navy, is a renowned ultra-marathon runner who completed the 135-mile “World’s Toughest Footrace” in California and set a Guinness World Record by running 4,280 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 52 days.</p><p>Avani Lekhara, despite a severe spinal cord injury, emerged as a global name in para shooting. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, she won gold in the 10m Air Rifle event and bronze in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions, becoming the first Indian woman to win two medals at a single Paralympics. She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.</p><p><strong>Special Recognition</strong></p><p>The Maharana Mewar Special State Award was presented to Suratgarh City Police Station, recognised as Rajasthan’s best police station, and to Rajesh Vaishnav of Udaipur for preserving Mewar’s 500-year-old sacred “Jal Sanjhi” water-sharing tradition.</p><p>The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Mohalakshika Kumari Mewar, while the event was anchored by Gopal Soni in Hindi and Rupa Chakravarti in English.</p>
<p>Carrying forward the rich and historic traditions of Mewar, the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation organised its 42nd Annual Award Ceremony, where distinguished individuals representing excellence in human values, culture, service, and national achievement were honoured along with promising young students.</p><p>The ceremony was led by Shri Dr Lakshyaraj Singhji Mewar, Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Foundation. </p><p>The event began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and floral tributes offered to Eklingnathji and the Foundation’s founder Maharana Bhagwat Singhji Mewar, formally inaugurating the proceedings.</p><p>During his address, Dr Mewar grew emotional while remembering his father Maharana Arvind Singhji Mewar. As the 77th Custodian (Diwan) of Eklingji, he reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the proud legacy and cultural traditions of Mewar, guided by the values instilled in him by his father. To honour his memory and legacy, Dr Mewar announced the institution of a new national recognition — the “Maharana Arvind Singhji Mewar Award.”</p><p>Distinguished awardees from India and abroad were welcomed with traditional floral greetings. The ceremony began with the recognition of 81 meritorious students, whose achievements were celebrated with a standing ovation from the audience.</p><p><strong>International Award</strong></p><p>The Colonel James Tod received Dr Molly Emma Aitken (USA), an eminent scholar of Indian miniature painting, particularly the Mewar and Rajput court painting traditions. Her work represents a modern continuation of the legacy associated with James Tod, whose historical writings helped bring the cultural heritage of Mewar to global attention.</p><p><strong>National Awards</strong></p><p>The Haldighati Award was conferred upon Kamlesh Kishore Singhji, a senior journalist with more than three decades of experience in Indian media. Known for his work in digital journalism and for strengthening Hindi media, Singh has also played a significant role in mentoring young journalists. His widely followed podcast Teen Taal, where he appears as “Tau,” has gained popularity for encouraging thoughtful public discourse on contemporary issues.</p><p>The Hakim Khan Sur Award was presented to Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik, Vir Chakra (VrC) awardee and serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He was decorated for his extraordinary bravery during Operation Sindoor in 2025. A highly skilled fighter pilot, Squadron Leader Malik is entrusted with critical operational responsibilities. Hailing from Imphal East district in Manipur, he has emerged as a source of pride for both his state and the nation.</p><p>The Maharana Udai Singh Award for environmental conservation was conferred upon Marimuthu Yoganathan, widely known as the “Tree Man of India.” A bus conductor with the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Yoganathan has spent nearly four decades promoting environmental awareness and tree plantation. To date, he has planted over 500,000 trees and continues to inspire citizens toward ecological responsibility.</p><p><strong>Panna Dhai Award</strong></p><p>The Panna Dhai Award, presented for acts that go beyond the call of duty, was collectively conferred upon the dedicated crew members of Jet Airways Flight 9W 569, who successfully handled an emergency childbirth at an altitude of 35,000 feet in 2017.</p><p>Despite limited resources and the absence of medical facilities onboard, the crew demonstrated exceptional courage, composure, and compassion. The team members included Isha Jaykar, Tejas Chavan, Catherine Varshney, Sushmita David, and Deborah Tavares, who together helped safely deliver the baby. </p><p>Meanwhile, in the cockpit, Captain Pranav Chhabria and Captain Martin Fesanek managed the operational challenges during the critical situation. The child born during the flight, named Jetson, attended the ceremony with his family, making the moment especially memorable.</p><p><strong>Inaugural Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar Award</strong></p><p>The first Maharana Arvind Singh Mewar Award was presented to Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of The Indian Hotels Company Limited, for his outstanding leadership and contribution to India’s tourism and hospitality sector.</p><p><strong>State-Level Honours</strong></p><p>At the state level, the Maharshi Harit Rashi Award was presented to Devvrat Mahesh Rekhe, a 19-year-old Vedic scholar, who recited the rare Dandkram Vikritipath of the Shukla Yajurveda (Madhyandina branch) from memory over 50 days in Varanasi. He is considered only the second scholar in nearly 200 years to complete this rare Vedic recitation, marking a historic moment for the revival of ancient Vedic traditions.</p><p>The Maharana Mewar Award for outstanding service to society was conferred upon K Prithika Yashini, India’s first transgender woman Sub-Inspector of Police, and senior journalist Bhuvanesh Jain, Deputy Editor at Patrika Group, who has spent over four decades reporting on politics, urban development, crime, education, and social issues.</p><p>The Maharana Kumbha Award for contributions to Indian culture, literature, and history was presented to noted Hindi and Rajasthani writer Tarun Kumar Dadhich.</p><p>The Maharana Sajjan Singh Award for fine arts was conferred upon internationally acclaimed sand artist Ajay Rawat, founder of the National Sand Art Park in Pushkar, known for monumental sand sculptures including a 51-foot statue of Maharana Pratap.</p><p>The Dagar Gharana Award for music was presented to legendary Hindustani classical flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan.</p><p>The Rana Punja Award for tribal upliftment was conferred upon Mandana artist Dimple Chandat for her efforts to preserve and document Mandana tribal art traditions.</p><p><strong>Aravali Sports Awards</strong></p><p>The Aravali Awards were presented to Ram Ratan Jat and Avani Lekhara for their achievements in sports.</p><p>Ram Ratan Jat, Chief Petty Officer in the Indian Navy, is a renowned ultra-marathon runner who completed the 135-mile “World’s Toughest Footrace” in California and set a Guinness World Record by running 4,280 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 52 days.</p><p>Avani Lekhara, despite a severe spinal cord injury, emerged as a global name in para shooting. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, she won gold in the 10m Air Rifle event and bronze in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions, becoming the first Indian woman to win two medals at a single Paralympics. She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.</p><p><strong>Special Recognition</strong></p><p>The Maharana Mewar Special State Award was presented to Suratgarh City Police Station, recognised as Rajasthan’s best police station, and to Rajesh Vaishnav of Udaipur for preserving Mewar’s 500-year-old sacred “Jal Sanjhi” water-sharing tradition.</p><p>The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Mohalakshika Kumari Mewar, while the event was anchored by Gopal Soni in Hindi and Rupa Chakravarti in English.</p>