Social media influencer
At the young age of 22, Divyanshu Damani has established himself as a successful social media influencer who firmly believes in creating a sense of positivity among the masses in this time of mental duress and depression. He is the founder of The Soch Network which has gathered a loyal fan base of over 650k with over 60 million views. He has also been a curator of talk shows and online platforms like The Divyanshu Damani Show, D Talks, and Dare to Deliver. Having previously shared his thoughts on various TEDx platforms, he consistently spreads enriching content to help budding millennials in creating a niche for themselves.
Jagannath A L
Corporate leader
Honored as one of the ‘Most Influential Marketers’ by the World Marketing Congress in 2015 and as 'CMO of the Year’ by VAR India in 2012 & 2016, Mr. A. L. Jagannath is a veritable marketing demigod in his own right. “Jaggi”, as he is affectionately known to his peers, is an alumnus of our very own XIMB. Mr. Jaggi has held leadership positions at LinkedIn India, Sun Microsystems, Reliance Infocomm and Tech Mahindra. Beyond the industry, he is passionate about education for the underprivileged and is associated with numerous NGOs to further the cause. He's got a mean swing at the golf course, has strummed guitars for a rock band and has been a national level quizzer, to boot!
Lt. Gen. Satish Dua
Services(Army)
Lt. Gen. Satish Dua, PVSM, UYSM, SM, VSM, is a highly decorated officer of the armed forces who was formerly the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), which is responsible for fostering coordination amongst all the three services of the armed force.
A counter-terrorism specialist, Lt. Gen. Dua spearheaded the counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir after the tumultuous state-of-affairs in the year of 2015-16. His strategic brilliance and years of expertise made him instrumental for the famous Uri surgical strikes in response to the Uri terror attack. Previously, he has commanded the Chinar Corps as GOC and has been posted as Defence Attaché to South East Asian countries.
Megha Vishwanath
Business journalist, Entrepreneur
“Young Turks”- India's longest-running show on startups and entrepreneurship, and “Tech Toyz”- CNBC-TV18's flagship technology series, are just the few crown jewels of Megha Vishwanath's celebrated career in the media industry as a business journalist, television producer, and anchor. With a sharp focus on startups, technology, and innovation, she has been one of the most influential media personalities amongst the tech-savvy and entrepreneurial minds of the current generation over the past few years. Her keen interest in the fast-changing landscape makes her one of the few notable individuals who can empathize with the socially reclusive generation of today.
Paul Walsh
Sports, Public Service
Who said sports and education cannot go hand in hand?
Paul Walsh, a British diplomat commissioned in Kolkata founded “The Jungle Crows”, which initially started as a platform to share the love for rugby among friends.
But now, the crows aim at using play and sport to engage with children and their communities and using the passion for this to improve education attainment and finding worthy employment opportunities.
Today, Paul Walsh has received an MBE on the UK's Honour list, got featured in GQ magazine, and got profiled as an Indian by heart by Times of India owing to his magnificent work.
Through their ethos of 'nothing for us without us’, Paul and the crows continue to operate by talking and listening to the needs of children, day in and day out.
Sachin Das Burma
Advertising, World Hockey
“Aamsutra”, “Thinking is such a waste of time”, “Straighten Up” and “Cheer for India” - some of the most memorable ad campaigns in recent times have one thing in common- the extraordinary mind of Mr. Sachin Das Burma. He has enjoyed a storied career of over 20 years in the advertising industry, working in agencies like Ushak Kaal, Contract, Bates India, JWT, FCB Ulka, and Leo Burnett. He recently concluded steering the entire advertising campaign of the Hockey World Cup 2018, held in Bhubaneswar. In his own words, “If you are looking at a blank canvas, I will bring along the rainbow. And the story. And hopefully, some glory”.
Satyanarayana Mohapatra and Group
Medha Nacha
Medha Nacha (Medha: Gregarious artistic structures, Nacha: Dance) is one of the most striking dance forms from the state of Odisha. Having originated in the abode of Lord Jagannath, Puri, this dance form has managed to survive and thrive since the 12th century.
As the name suggests, this particular dance form requires majestic 'medhas' tied to the back of men who perform it at the congregation of idols during festivals like Dusshera, Kali Puja, Gajalakshmi Puja etc. A dance form which blurs the line between martial arts and artistry, mastering this particular dance form with colossal structures tied to their backs, and their faces covered with strikingly distinct masks of Kings, Queens, and Demons is no easy feat to master. Despite the striking appearance, Medha Nacha is minimalistic at its core, solely depending on the nuances of moves and gestures to display an unique blend of grace and power.
Sruti Mohapatra
Social service
Not all heroes wear capes, and Sruti Mohapatra is one of them. Ms. Mohapatra’s illustrious career from Indian Civil Services to be a crusader for equal rights for differently-abled individuals is full of over-whelming odds which she has bravely fought and rightfully conquered. Despite being affected by a near-fatal accident which left her paralyzed, she has never let the adversities of life to stand in her way to build the bridge for differently-abled people towards their fundamental rights as human beings. Having led an awe-inspiring life full of grit, passion, and perseverance, she has won numerous accolades for her ground-level work for the differently-abled from both national and international agencies.