The ‘Best of the Best’ were celebrated at the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce’s annual Awards and Gala Night at The Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Downtown Toronto.
The event recognized prominent Indo Canadian achievers from across the country in several categories through the evening. These included Female Entrepreneur (winner: Pravina Budhdev, CEO Huntington Travel Group of Companies); Male Entrepreneur (winner: Harpreet Sethi, CEO, The Grand Victorian Convention Centre and Radisson Plaza in Mississauga); Female Professional (winner: Dr. Madhur Anand, Director of Global Ecological Change Laboratory); Male Professional (winner: Mr. Sunit Radia, William Procter Sales Master, Market Strategy & Planning, Procter & Gamble Inc); Young Achiever (winner: Akash Sahney, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, My Voice); and Technology Achievement (winners: Suneet Singh and Raja Singh Tuli of Data Wind Ltd).
Additionally, Dr. Pawan Singal, Professor of Physiology and Director of Cardiovascular Studies at St. Boniface Hospital and the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, received the Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement award. Kasi Rao walked away with the Member of the Year Award and Chandrakant Sachdev, President, Rainbow Capital Properties Inc received the Humanitarian award while Mr. Sriram Iyer, President and CEO, ICICI Bank was declared as the Corporate Executive of the Year.
Consul General of India Preeti Saran received the President’s Award.
This premiere social and business event’s theme this year was ‘Engaging Partners, Implementing Strategies’. The Awards Gala hosted a number of Canada’s influencers who enjoyed a mix of dinner and entertainment, award presentations and speeches. Honorable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister for Natural Resources was the Chief Guest for the evening while Phaneesh Murthy, President and CEO of iGate was the keynote speaker. ICCC President Satish Thakkar talked about ICCC’s efforts over the past 35 years to create a better understanding between Canada and India.
“The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) has worked hard with dedication and strived to create a better understanding of India in Canada and Canada in India, provided unstinted support to India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way, and built close links between India and the Indian Diaspora, and Canada,” said Mr. Thakkar, who has been heading the Chamber for the past year.
“Today, we are the largest and fastest growing bilateral Indo-Canadian organisation in Canada. Both the Canadian and the Indian establishments depend upon our Chamber to be a key facilitator in fostering economic relations.”
“Zeal and enthusiasm are two words that aptly describe our Chamber’s approach during its three-and-a-half decade’s journey from nebulous and tentative beginnings in 1977 to its present august status,” said Mr. Thakkar.
AWARD WINNERS LIST – 2012
Lifetime / Outstanding Achievement: Dr. Pawan Singal, Professor of Physiology and is Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface Hospital and the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
Humanitarian of the Year Award: Mr. Chandrakant Sachdev, President, Rainbow Capital Properties Inc; President, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha; President, BAPS Charities Inc.
Female Entrepreneur: Ms Pravina Budhdev, CEO of Huntington Travel Group of Companies
Male Entrepreneur: Mr. Harpreet Sethi, CEO, The Grand Victorian Convention Centre and Radisson Plaza in Mississauga featured as ‘fastest growing South Asian Business’.
Female Professional: Dr. Madhur Anand, Director of Global Ecological Change Laboratory, University of Guelph
Male Professional: Mr. Sunit Radia, William Procter Sales Master, Market Strategy & Planning, Procter & Gamble Inc.
Technology Achievement of the Year: Mr. Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO, Data Wind Ltd.
Mr. Raja Singh Tuli, Founder, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Chairman of Data Wind Ltd
Corporate Executive of the Year: Mr. Sriram Iyer, President and CEO, ICICI Bank
Young Achiever: Mr. Aakash Sahney, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, MyVoice
President’s Award: Mrs. Preeti Saran, Consul General of India in Toronto
Member of the Year: Mr. Kasi Rao, Consultant – India related Strategies; Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP; and Senior Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation
