RAJASTHANI ASSOCIATION TAMILNA DU HONORS CHANGEMAKERS AT TH E RAJASTHANI-TAMIL SEVA AWARDS 2025
Recognizing Excellence in Service, Care & Social Impact
Chennai, March 16, 2025: The Rajastha ni Association Tamilnadu on behalf of th e Rajasthani community in Tamil Nadu a nd Puducherry, proudly hosted the first-ever Rajasthani Tamil Seva Awards 202 5honoring individuals and institutions w ho have made an exceptional contributi on to the good of the people of 2 states .
The event, held at D.G. Vaishnav College ,Chennai, today witnessed the presence of distinguished dignitaries, social leade rs, and changemakers from diverse field s. Hon’ble Mr Justice K. R. Shriram, Chie f Justice of the Madras High Court grace d the function as the chief guest and pre sented the awards. CA Shri S. Gurumurt hy, Editor, the Tamil weekly Tughlaq & th e head of jury for the award, unveiled th e first ever services directory of the com munity, Rajasthanis in Tamilnadu: 100 y ears of Legacy.
🏆 WINNERS OF THE RAJASTHANI-TA MIL SEVA AWARDS 2025
1. Dr. Irai Anbu, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Tamilnadu, was awarded in the category of Public Service, a man whose wisdom, leadership, and service have left an indelible mark on governan ce, education, and literature in India. Ra nked 15th in the All India Civil Services Examination (1988), he rose to become Tamil Nadu’s Chief Secretary, driving lan dmark reforms in administration, enviro onment, and tourism. He has led key inst itutions, shaping policies that foster sus tainable growth and economic progress. A mentor and guide, he has trained 100 +IAS officers, shaped 50+ Ph.D. scholars s, and counseled students across 50+ ins titutions. His 2,000+ speeches, 1,500+ T V appearances, and 1,000+ radio talks h ave ignited minds across the nation. A pr olific author of 179 books, his work on T hirukkural and Puranaanooru has earne d global recognition, bridging ancient wi sdom with modern leadership.
For his extraordinary contributions, the jury chosen to honor a mentor, a leader, a scholar, a visionary and an inspiration— Dr. Irai Anbu
2. Shri. C.D. Sanath Kumar was chosen i n the field of education. Founder, Camb bridge / Indus Valley Senior Secondary S chools, a visionary whose work has touc hed lives, built communities, and shaped the future through education, healthcar e, and rural development. For over 35 ye ars, Shri C. D. Sanath Kumar has been a f orce for change, founding Sanathkumar Foundation, Cambridge Public e-School (CBSE), Anandamayee Gated Communit y for Senior Citizens, Anandam Spine & J oint Clinic, and the Rural Informative Ce ntre in collaboration with IIT Madras. Hi s impact is deeply felt in Krishnagiri and Kaveripattinam, Tamil Nadu. In educatio on, he has created a system that goes be yond textbooks—blending Indian values with yoga, meditation, sports, and cuttin g-edge learning from IIT and ISRO scient ists. He has brought rocket science to th e classroom, igniting young minds with d reams of space.He believes in learning b y doing. His organic farming program, in augurated by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, teac hes students the value of agriculture no t in theory, but with their hands in the so il. His story is so inspiring, it became a N ational Award-winning biopic, directed by Vasanth Sai (2017). His journey is als o captured in Chakkara Yaagam, a biog raphy released last year in Chennai.
For his relentless dedication to service, i nnovation, and nation-building, the jury chose to honor Shri C. D. Sanath Kumar with this prestigious award.
3. Shri M Yoganathan, Tree Man of India, was awarded in the field of Environment tal Sustainability. A man whose relentle ss dedication to environmental conserv ation has transformed Tamilnadu. For 3 6 years, he has planted and nurtured 35 lakhs saplings, turning barren lands into green havens and inspiring thousands to take up the cause. His journey began as a bus conductor in Coimbatore, where h e started distributing free saplings to pa ssengers, proving that small actions can lead to great change. With a personal in vestment of over ₹30 lakhs, he has dedic ated his life to protecting our environme ent. His impact has been nationally reco gnized—Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored him in “Mann Ki Baat” (2021), a nd he has received awards like “Pasumai Porali,” “Real Hero,” “Green Hero Award d,” and “Climate Warrior.” Visionaries lik e Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mukesh Amban ni, and Allu Arjun have applauded his ex traordinary efforts. Beyond planting tre ees, he inspires thousands of students, s preading awareness and igniting a passi on for a greener future.
A true guardian of nature, his work is a t estament to the power of one person’s c ommitment to change. The jury chose to celebrate the incredible contributions o f Shri M. Yoganathan.
4. Swami Vivekananda Rural Developm ment Society (SVRDS), was awarded in t he field of Social Welfare, for Transform ing Rural Lives Since 1979. For 45 years, Swami Vivekananda Rural Development Society (SVRDS) has been a pillar of holi stic rural development, reaching 1,000 v illages across 12 districts of Tamil Nadu. Under the leadership of Shri S.Vedanta m Ji, its initiatives in education, healthca re, sanitation, water conservation, and s kill development have empowered lakhs of rural families.Evening schools enrich 27,000 children with supplementary an d cultural education. Healthcare camps have provided eye screenings, cancer de tection, and vaccinations to 20,000 villa gers. 3,700+ individual toilets built, ens uring hygiene and dignity for 20,000 pe ople. 100+ ponds desilted, securing wat er access for 2,50,000 villagers. 1,500+ youth trained, with 80% securing stable jobs in their villages. 700+ women train ed ned in driving, gaining licenses and e mployment opportunities. For its extrao rdinary service, SVRDS has been recogn nized by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
The association honoured Dr R. Krisshn hnan, president of the society, for their unwavering commitment to building a s elf-reliant, empowered rural India.
Hon’ble Mr Justice K. R. Shriram, Chief J ustice of the Madras High Court, mentio ned:
“I’m delighted to see the Rajasthani Ass ociation’s Tamil Seva Awards honoring i ndividuals and institutions for their selfl ess contributions. Their work embodies t he ethos of compassion, empathy, and service that is essential for building a ju st and equitable society. I’m particularly heartened to see the emphasis on educa tion for children and the young, as it is t hrough education that we can empower future generations to become active citi izens and drivers of positive change. The se awardees are beacons of hope, inspiri ing us all to strive towards creating a mo re compassionate, equitable, and just so ciety.”
CA Shri S. Gurumurthy, Editor, the Tamil weekly Tughlaq & the head of jury for th e award, expressed:
“It’s a moment of great pride to be part of this initiative, honoring individuals an d institutions for their selfless contribut ions. I firmly believe that true leadership is about serving others and creating a po sitive impact. These awardees embody t his spirit, inspiring future generations to take up social responsibility. India’s stre ngth lies in its collective consciousness, and it’s heartening to see individuals ma king a tangible difference. Let us celebra te these changemakers, acknowledge th e power of community, and strive towar ds a more compassionate society.”
Each awardee was welcomed sir traditio nal Rajasthani safa (turban) & was prese nted with a trophy, a citation, & ₹2 lakh prize, reinforcing the Rajasthani commu nity’s commitment to recognizing those who drive meaningful change.
From 231 nominations across 25 cities a nd towns of tamilnadu, a meticulous thr ee-stage selection process identified fo ur outstanding individuals whose servic ce has left a lasting impact.
A six-member jury, chaired by CA Shri S. Gurumurthy, carefully reviewed each nomination. Jury members included:
✔️ Shri N. Ravi – Former Editor-in-Chie f, The Hindu
✔️ Padma Vibhushan Smt. Padma Subra maniam – Renowned Bharatanatyam D ancer
✔️ Shri N. Sugalchand Jain – Industrialis t & Philanthropist
✔️ Prof. P. Balagurusamy – Eminent Aca demician & Former Vice-Chancellor
✔️ Praveen Tatia – Ex-officio, President, Rajasthani Association Tamilnadu & Me mber, Minority Commission, Govt. of Ta mil Nadu
The winners exemplify excellence in edu cation, environmental sustainability, pu blic service, and social welfare, represen ting the highest standards of communit y impact.
🔹 A MILESTONE PUBLICATION: ‘RAJASTHANIS IN TAMIL NADU – 100 YEARS OF LEGACY’
A highlight of the event was the launch of a landmark publication, ‘Rajasthanis i n Tamil Nadu: 100 Years of Legacy’, chro nicling a century of philanthropy, and so cial contributions by Rajasthanis in Tam il Nadu. The book was formally unveiled by CA Shri S. Gurumurthy, serving as a t estament to the deep-rooted values of s ervice and care that define the Rajastha ani community.
🔹 A VISION FOR THE FUTURE
Mr. Praveen Kumar Tatia, President of t he Association, emphasized:
“These awards reflect our vision to cele brate those making a real difference, fos stering stronger bonds between commu munities for a shared future of growth a nd prosperity.”
Mr. Narendra Srisrimal, Chairman of the Rajasthani-Tamil Seva Awards, added:
“We are proud to honor these changem ngemakers. Their stories will inspire fut ure generations to take up the mantle of social responsibility.”
CA Anil Khicha, Convenor, Rajasthani-Ta mil Seva Awards, expressed:
“The overwhelming response from the 2 31 nominees has proved the relevance o f the initiative. We are honored to have sparked a ‘positive virus of goodness’ th at will spread far and wide across both s tates.”
The Rajasthani-Tamil Seva Awards will b e an annual event, establishing itself as a prestigious platform to recognize, enco urage, and celebrate exceptional contrib utions to society.
CA Shri S Gurumurthy appreciated the a ssociations working backward from the launch function on December 21, 2024 & successfully carrying out the award pr ocess as committed. The initiative will g o a long way in expanding the care & con cern for the people in TamilNadu, he exp ressed.
The chief guest of the function honoura rable Mr justice K R Shriram, chief justic ce of madras high court, lauded the initi ative by the Rajasthani community & ex pressed that it will go a long way to buil d social institutions & the spirit of care c oncern in TamilNadu & Puducherry.
The general secretary Shri Hemant Dug ar thanked each & everyone who was in strumental in making the function mean ingful & a success.
About Rajasthani AssociationTamilnadu http://www.rajasthaniassntn.in/
Founded in 1967 under the visionary lea dership of Shri G.P. Shah and inaugurate ted by the late Shri C.N. Annadurai, the t hen Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, the Raj asthani Association Tamilnadu has been at the forefront of social service, cultura ral promotion, and community welfare. Over the decades, the Association has i mpacted thousands of lives through init iatives such as scholarship programs dis tributing over a crore to deserving stude nts across Tamilnadu—and healthcare s ervices including medical camps and can cer screenings benefiting more than 10, 000 individuals. The Mohinidevi Hiracha nd Nahar Rajasthani Dharmasala provid es free food and shelter to over 200 can cer patients daily, highlighting the Assoc ciation’s unwavering commitment to su pporting those in need.
Through cultural events such as Rajasth ani Melas and exhibitions, the Associati on continues to promote the rich herita ge of the Rajasthani community while fo stering unity and inclusivity in Tamilnad u.
