Kolkata, West Bengal, India | 25th January 2020: Kolkata born renowned astrologer Dr. Sohini Sastri, has been graced with prestigious “Champions of Change” Award 2019 by Interactive Forum on Indian Economy (IFIE), a non-profit recognized by Govt. of India, for her exemplary social welfare initiatives and philanthropic work. The award was presented to Dr. Sohini Sastri by former President, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, in a special ceremony conducted at his residence in New Delhi.
Speaking on her spectacular achievement, Dr. Sohini Sastri, said, “Receiving an award from Dr. Pranab Mukherjee is like a dream come true for me. He has been a torch bearer originating from West Bengal and I’m proud to have had his blessings. Today has to be one of the most memorable days of my life. I feel humbled to know that my selfless work for the society makes me a Champion of Change. I thank IFIE for felicitating me.”
Dr. Sohini Sastri is an internationally acclaimed Astrologer by profession. She has won various national and international awards for her professional and social initiatives on society. She received the prestigious “Pride of the Nation” award from the Hon’ble Defence Minister of India, Mr. Rajnath Singh and the “Brilliance Award” by the Governor of Uttarakhand, Hon’ble Baby Rani Maurya.
Dr. Sohini Sastri has been known to help poor street children and save them from a life of distress and child labour since her early teenage days. Currently, she regularly participates in programs of several NGOs of international repute like SMILE, Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, HelpAge India and many other local NGOs for the upliftment of socially and economically underprivileged children and women.
Several other luminaries from different walks of life also received the “Champions of Change” Award, which included prominent names like Shri Hemant Soren (CM, Jharkhand); Shri Anurag Thakur (MoS Finance & Corporate Affairs); Shri Manish Sisodia (Dy CM, Delhi); Acharya Balakrishnan; Smt. Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Shri Raj Kundra; Shri Suresh Oberoi; Shri Allu Arvind, to name a few.
The Jury for Champions of Change Award is headed by Justice K.G. Balakrishnan (Former CJI and Former Chairman NHRC). It also included Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India), Pahlaj Nihalani (Former Chairman, Central Board of film certification India), and Subhash Ghai (Veteran Indian Film Director).
The 2019 ceremony was the 2nd Champions of Change Award ceremony. In the first edition in 2018, Honourable Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu gave away the awards to winners that included an incumbent Chief Minister, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, and various social workers.
