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Mudra appoints Malekar, Medhekar as vice presidents
MUMBAI: Mudra Communications has appointed Sharmila Malekar and Ashish Medhekar in the capacity of vice presidents of the agency.
Malekar will be responsible for the entire Godrej portfolio, which includes the hair-colors and hair-dyes business, three soap brand, Ezee liquid detergent and Godrej Real Good Chicken. The other large accounts in her portfolio would be Big Bazaar, LIC and LICHFL along with some new businesses, while Medhekar will head the Reliance Finance portfolio, which is one of the fastest growing in the region.
“Sharmila and Ashish will considerably strengthen the Mudra Mumbai team. I am looking forward to using their varied experience to manage the growth in the Godrej and Reliance businesses,” says Mudra Mumbai operations president Jude Fernandes.
Malekar – a 1993 alumnus of Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai, has extensive experience in the advertising industry having worked in Lowe and Ogilvy for 11 years. Beginning her career with Lowe at 1993, she has worked on brands like Johnson & Johnson, Parachute, Liril, after which she moved to O&M in in 1998. At O&M, she led the launch of HLL’s direct-to-home business HLN – Hindustan Lever Network apart from working on a diverse set of business which saw her in the position of business head for Tata Motors – Sumo, Safari, DHL, Hindustan Pencils, Hindustan Lever – Dove, Sunlight and Playwin Lotteries.
On the other hand, Medhekar has 12 years of experience behind him in advertising and communications. Starting his career with Contract Advertising, he has worked with agencies like Enterprise Nexus, Rediffusion DY& R and Euro RSCG.
While at Rediffusion he worked on Colgate brand at a time when Colgate Dental Cream was under pressure from Pepsodent. At Rediffusion, he headed the Chennai office and thereafter Wunderman Mumbai. Apart from Colgate some of the other brands that Medhekar has worked on are Citibank, Thomson, Phillips, Nivia, Sony Entertainment Television, HDFC Bank Credit Cards.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
