While Chennai celebrates Madras Week as part of its 375th birthday, the city has also honoured seven eminent personalities with the Doyens of Madras 2014 Awards.
While Chennai celebrates Madras Week as part of its 375th birthday, the city has also honoured seven eminent personalities with the Doyens of Madras 2014 Awards.
Tamil Nadu Governor Dr K Rosaiah gave away the awards to Dr MS Swaminathan, Chairman of the MSS Research Foundation, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals and V Baskaran, Olympian and Former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team.
"Madras is a great city, a great cultural capital. I'm happy I've been recognised to have contributed to the development of this great city," said Dr MS Swaminathan.
IIT Madras Director Dr Bhaskar Ramamurthy, Ms Priyadarshini Govind, Director of Kalakshetra and Vijay Amritraj, Former Captain, India Davis Cup, A Vellayan, Chairman at the Murugappa Group, BA Kodandarama Setty, Chairman of Vivek Ltd were also among the awardees.
V Baskaran said, "I have fond memories of Madras. In fact I used to run through this place (Egmore) to my college those days. Its nice to recognise doyens. I am proud to have received this with Dr MS Swaminathan. Many more such people should be honoured.
Mr Setty said, "Madras, now Chennai is a great place for business. Now Chennai is the mecca for trade. It has the country's second largest turnover in retail".
Into its second year, the Doyens of Madras Award was instituted by the Ambassador Group as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. Mr S Krithivasan, the General Manager of the group said, "The awardees were chosen by a committee of six distinguished panelists. Our only criterion was those who put Chennai on the world map through their yeoman service."
Last year's awardees include Dr V Shanta, Chairperson of the Cancer Institute, Dr SS Badrinath, Chairman Emeritus of Sankara Nethralaya, Kris Srikanth, former cricketer and part of the 1983 World Cup winning team and former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy.