Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 11: NRI, philanthropist Michael D’Souza will be honoured with the Kudla Beacon Award as the School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, hosts the first-ever Roshni Impact Awards 2025, an event aimed at celebrating India’s unsung change-makers.
The award recognises D’Souza’s outstanding community service, including major contributions to education, housing, and empowerment initiatives. His philanthropic efforts include Rs 33.5 crore in interest-free educational loans and support for more than 417 homes for families in need, earning him widespread appreciation across the region.
Michael D’Souza, Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, Jeeth Milan Roche & Flavia Agnes
Ahmed Kabeer, Dr N Joshua Jayaseelan, Dr Anish V Cherian & Nazneen Abdulla
The Roshni Impact Awards, instituted as part of the institution’s 65-year legacy, seek to acknowledge individuals and organisations creating sustainable, meaningful impact in communities nationwide. The awards reflect the institution’s motto, “Where Knowledge Becomes Service, and Service Becomes Light,” underscoring its commitment to justice, dignity, compassion, and service.
The event will feature Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, president of the Human Rights Protection Foundation, Udupi, as the chief guest. His decades-long work in resolving citizen grievances and his experiences during the Emergency have shaped his life-long commitment to human rights. Ahmed Kabeer, young entrepreneur and digital creator from KTB Shop24, will serve as the guest of honour. Despite severe physical immobility, he has built a successful online brand with remarkable resilience and creativity.
A diverse group of awardees will be recognised for their contributions in various fields. The Community Catalyst Award will be presented to Dr N Joshua Jayaseelan of Madras Christian College for his work in peace education, youth development, child protection, environmental awareness, and community empowerment. The Mind Matters Award will honour Dr Anish V Cherian of NIMHANS, whose leadership in psychiatric social work and mental-health research has strengthened suicide prevention and community mental-health programmes.
Advocate Flavia Agnes, co-founder of the MAJLIS Legal Centre, will receive the Justice Trailblazer Award for more than four decades of feminist legal advocacy supporting over one lac survivors of violence. The Earth Guardian Award will recognise environmentalist Jeeth Milan Roche, known for planting over two lac trees and developing more than fifteen Miyawaki forests in Mangaluru.
The Nazneen Abdulla Yenepoya Special Jury Award will be presented to Poonam Pardeshi of Perkins India, a national disability-inclusion advocate who has worked for two decades to transform accessible education, advocacy, training, and technology integration despite being blind since birth.
The awardees were selected by a national jury comprising prominent leaders from banking, mental health, social innovation, social work, and gender studies, including Allen C A Pereira, Dr N Janardhan, Prof P K Shahjahan, L S Gandhi Doss, and Dr Rita Noronha. The multi-stage selection process emphasised transparency, measurable impact, and merit over popularity.
The inaugural awards ceremony will be held on December 20 at the Roshni Nilaya campus in Mangaluru. The organisers hope the event will evolve into an annual platform celebrating those who bring light into communities through dedicated service and transformative action.