The 64th National Summit and Awards unfolded on August 21st at Le Meridien Hotel, in collaboration with CSR Times. This grand event brought together a distinguished gathering of dignitaries, award recipients, and over 300 delegates.
The summit commenced with an inaugural ceremony, followed by enlightening addresses from eminent personalities. Chief Guest Shri SPS Baghel, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, extended his congratulations to all participants and winners, underscoring CSR's potential to project India onto the global stage. The morning session boasted Guests of Honor including H.E. Mr. Dilshod Akhatov, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of India, Lt. Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India, and Maj. Gen. Ravindra Singh of the Indian Army.
The inaugural session featured the commendation of CSR Times award recipients followed by a thought-provoking panel discussion exploring the theme "Achieving SDGs Through CSR in Developing Economies: Role of G20 Nations." The second session turned the spotlight on the Indian Army's CSR initiatives, emphasized through a presentation by Brigadier Vikas Bhardwaj, Brig DAV. Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (RS) and Spokesperson - BJP, addressed the gathering as the Guest of Honor, underscoring the collective responsibility of CSR engagement, extending beyond corporates to every individual.
Furthermore, several remarkable accomplishments of PSUs, Corporates, Corporate Foundations, MSMEs, and individuals received recognition through the Indian Achievers’ Award, honoring their commendable contributions. These individuals and organizations demonstrated unwavering dedication to the cause of nation-building.
One of the achievers was Mr. Krishnakumar Sivagnanam, Solutions Architect, Tech Mahindra, who was conferred with the Man of Excellence Award for his noteworthy achievements. Krishnakumar Sivagnanam, a seasoned IT professional with an impressive two-decade career, has emerged as a prominent figure in the realms of ERP and GRC within the Supply Chain and Manufacturing sectors. Currently serving as a Solutions Architect at Tech Mahindra (Americas) Inc., Krishnakumar has carved a distinct journey marked by his leadership and innovative spirit. Krishnakumar's extraordinary ability, honed skills, spectrum of knowledge, analytical and business acumen, fervent commitment have culminated in tailored solutions that propel organizational growth and extend to the broader IT community.
Throughout his illustrious career, Krishnakumar has held leadership positions in prestigious IT consulting firms, guiding innovative solutions, and driving transformative efforts in application modernization and automation. His influence and contributions have extended to renowned consulting firms, where he played pivotal roles in leading groundbreaking solutions and spearheading automation initiatives for Fortune 500 clients. Krishnakumar's unwavering passion revolves around harnessing the potential of disruptive cloud, ERP, and web technologies, strategically underpinned by robust GRC frameworks. Beyond the literary realm, Krishnakumar is a valued member of judging committees for prestigious awards, including the Globee (Information Technology, Leadership, Disruptor, Golden Bridge, Business, American Business) Awards and the Stevie International Business Awards for Information Technology. He lends his expertise to the discerning evaluation of entrants in the innovative HackMIT, one of the world's largest hackathons held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Notable accolades adorn Krishnakumar's journey, with titles such as IT Professional of the Year at the Globee Information Technology Awards and Technical IT Professional of the Year at the Globee Golden Bridge Awards. His contributions have not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by the esteemed Man of Excellence Award bestowed upon him by the Indian Achievers' Forum.
In a heartening gesture, the summit presented the CSR Times Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023 to Ms. Shallu Jindal for her sustained and exceptional contributions to the socio-economic upliftment of marginalized communities through sustainable community development initiatives.
Among the distinguished attendees were Mr. Ratnesh, Executive Director - United Nations Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), Air Marshal VPS Rana PVSM, VSM (Retd), Mr. S. Ravi Shankar, Executive Committee Member - CSR Times Awards, H.E. Mrs. Daniela Mariana Sezonov-Tane, Ambassador of Romania to India, H.E. Ms. Jacqueline Mukangira, High Commissioner - High Commission of the Republic of Rwanda to India, Dr. László Makk, Deputy Head of Mission, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Hungary, and Shri Shaurya Doval, Founding Member - India Foundation, Dr. Sudipta Narayan Roy, Director, IAF. The gathering witnessed these esteemed guests addressing the summit, inspiring participants with renewed fervor and compassion for social endeavors.
Mr. Harish Chandra, Editor of CSR Times & President, Indian Achievers' Forum, extended his congratulations to all winners and participants, expressing gratitude to the event's partners for their pivotal role in ensuring the event's resounding success. The summit concluded with a resounding vote of thanks, leaving attendees galvanized and determined to sustain their collective efforts in pursuit of national betterment.
