Granted, that most creative people do not consciously work towards winning awards, much less beating compatriots. However, receiving an award infuses an artist’s creative process with joy and prevents it from becoming monotonous. Above all, an award inspires a discriminating artist to elevate his own performance standards.
Awards & Honors – the Prominent Ones:
- President’s (National Film) Award for documentary narration in 2016
- Asian Voice (A UK Newspaper) Award 2013, presented at the House of Commons, London.
- Jewel of LIT – my alma mater
- HMV Gold Disc – the only Indian stage anchor to receive it.
- Jury Member of 50th IFFI – International Film Festival of India’s Indian Panorama in Sep-Oct 2019.
- SBI’s RajBhasha Samman by Chairman of the State Bank of India Shri Rajnish Kumar.
- Jury Member 67th National Film Awards – non-feature films held in March2021.
- Honorary D. Litt. by JJT University, Rajasthan in March 2022.
- Abby Awards 2022 Member Radio Jury for Advertising Club and the Abbys One Show Awards Governing Council.
- Advertsing Club Award – 15th edition, for Excellence in Radio Sponsored Programmes.
Republic Day 2025
Such an honor being a component of the Guinness Book of World Records entry of the 76th Republic Day cultural presentation जयति जय मम भारतम्.
Outstanding Young Person in the City of Bombay 1978
My First Major Award/Honor – and in august company too! Aditya Vikram Birla, Bappi Lahiri (not in pic), Architect Prem Nath. Circa 1978
National Award 2015-16
Receiving the coveted National Award for Best Voice-over/Narration from the President of India at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi..
Doctor of Letters – Honoris Causa 2022
HARISH BHIMANI-Voice Artiste-Doctorate for Voice of Samay. It was slightly bigger than a Lifetime Achievement award, as that is received from a peer institution. This Honoris Causa decoration… some put this honor actually on a higher pedestal, as Ph.D. is in pursuit of a single research thesis, whereas a Doctor of Letters is for enduring output of superior level over…
Jewel of LIT – LIT Ratna Award
Now this is a Lifetime Achievement award, much before work lifetime is done with. Every two years, the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (now Laxminarayan Innovation Technological University), declares all-round achievement awards from among its alumni spread around the world. An award from one’s alma mater is always more precious, personal, intimate.
HMV Gold Disk
Happy to share that I am the only anchor to have received an HMV Gold disc. The gold disc was presented for extraordinary album sales of an Aditya Birla administered Lata Mangeshkar- Kishore Kumar concert at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai in aid of Baba Amte’s Anandvan – in 1984. (Interesting details of the concert can be found in my book…