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AAAI to kick off ‘Goafest’ on 20 April
MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has announced that the annual ad festival Goafest will be held on 20 and 21 April 2007.
“Goafest has already emerged as the most coveted advertising awards festival in India. And going by the 1200 participants last year, and the 2000 participants expected this year, we will be the largest show in Asia, AdFest in Pattaya included,” said AAAI president Srinivasan K Swamy.
This year Goafest will give away creative and media awards, a move that will provide creative and media agencies professionals to look at advertising holistically and understand how each is as important as the other.
“Goafest 2007 promises to be bigger and better. We are moving many steps forward to provide a truly international experience. We are looking forward to hosting extremely prestigious international creative and media personalities who will be the speakers this year,” says AAAI Goafest Committee chairman Arvind Sharma. “Special package for under 30’s will of course continue.”
Sharma promises “right from the design, to the décor, to the speakers to the entertainment and the food the endeavor will be to set standards never before seen in Asia. It will be a perfect opportunity for delegates who share a passion for advertising to mix and bond with each other.”
Swamy added, “This year’s AdVillage design is very unique and we will be building many air-conditioned structures on the beach so that all activities, exhibitions and even the Seminars are at the AdVillage on Cavelossim beach. The Awards will be presented in an open-air auditorium.”
Last year AAAI created an opportunity for all advertising professionals of India to meet and celebrate great advertising work. It turned the one-evening AAAI creative awards to a full-fledged two-day festival covering awards, seminars and exhibitions mixed with sun, sea, fun and frolic. It was a unique opportunity for the under 30s in the profession to attend Goafest under a low all-inclusive delegate fee which included travel, stay, food, admission to seminars, etc.
This also presented to them an opportunity to interact with not just the Indian gurus of advertising but also meet some international personalities well known in their respective fields like Paul Kemps Robertson, Neeraj Nayar, Tom Savigar and Michelle Kristula-Green to name a few.
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.
