Scientists bag Infosys-Educationworld Young Achievers Awards 2006

The second young achievers awards, instituted by blue-chip it major Infosys Technologies and Educationworld to celebrate young achievers, received over 500 high quality nominations from across the country. Summiya Yasmeen reports At the Infosys-Educationworld Young Achievers Awards 2006, good got better. Inaugurated last year as a joint venture between Infosys Technologies Ltd (ITL — annual sales: Rs.9,521 crore; no of employees: 52,715), repeatedly voted India’s most respected corporate enterprise by business periodicals and the pink dailies, and EducationWorld, the country’s pioneer education newsmag (readership 500,000 plus nationwide), this year the awards function staged in the fully wired state-of-the-art Infosys auditorium was presided by Infosys’ iconic promoter chairman and globally respected business leader N.R. Narayana Murthy. At the awards function held on June 9 which received national press and television coverage, eight talented Young Achievers shortlisted from over 500 nominees countrywide, were celebrated on ITL’s showpiece 250-acre campus in Bangalore.  The winners of the Infosys-EducationWorld Young Achievers Awards 2006 in the junior (below 16 years) and senior (17-25) categories were adjudged by a high-powered jury, which included former director of IIM-Bangalore Dr. K.R.S. Murthy; former India Davis Cup tennis star Gaurav Natekar; Dilip Patel of The Activity; Dr. A.S. Seetharamu, hitherto professor of education at the Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bangalore; Ms. Anu Monga, principal, Bangalore International School; Somnath Baishya, head of global entry level hiring and campus relations, ITL; and Dilip Thakore EducationWorld’s publisher/ editor. Following a 12-15 minute presentation by each of the eight finalists, Vignan Pattamatta (16) of the FIITJEE Junior College, Hyderabad was adjudged winner in the junior category. Abhiram Chakraborty, a graduate of Sri Sairam Engineering College, Chennai was adjudged winner in the senior category. The awards ceremony which followed at noon was presided over by N.R. Narayana Murthy. In a brief inspirational address, Murthy congratulated the shortlisted young achievers on the high quality of their presentations, and extolled them as role models for youth across the country. “With 415 million young Indians below 18 years of age, our country has potentially the most talented youth worldwide. If we succeed in harnessing the power of our youth we will become a powerful, developed country. If not, we will face really difficult times ahead. The Infosys-EducationWorld young achievers have demonstrated that the youth of India have confidence, hope, passion and enthusiasm for excellence and innovation in numerous fields of endeavour. It’s important for the country to boost the confidence and competence of our youth. By acknowledging their talent and celebrating their achievements, India can create a new set of young role models because a young population doesn’t want yesterday’s role models,” said Narayana Murthy. Words of praise and encouragement apart, all the eight finalists received handsome gifts, prizes and mementoes and a Infosys-EducationWorld Young Achievers certificate signed by Murthy. The winners Vignan Pattamatta and Abhiram Chakraborty received cash prizes of Rs.25,000, Compaq laptop computers, a two-day complimentary holiday for two at Kairala Resorts, Palghat (Kerala), Encyclopedia Britannica’s Ultimate Reference Suite 2005 and handsome, specially commissioned Infosys-EW silver and acrylic trophies. Moreover all six runners up…