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Centrick elevates Malavika Shah to COO
Mumbai: With two years of exponential growth, teams need to grow. As teams grow, it is imperative to ensure the quality of aesthetics and finesse in the delivery of creative solutions is maintained. Centrick attributes this sustained and exponential growth to its people. For this reason, as the time comes to enhance the power in its senior management, it has decided to pick from the people that were instrumental in the growth in the first place. Malavika Shah being promoted from head of interactive content to chief operating officer is the first step in that direction. This agency restructuring at the top besides being a vote of confidence for organic growth must also be seen as the organisation’s measure of conviction in the people that made it a force to reckon with since its inception.
Centrick partner Vistasp Hodiwala says, “Centrick has always been an organisation with a difference. Being ‘Different’ starts with people. ‘Different’ has an impact on the structure. ‘Different’ will steer relationships. Here is an organisation that has grown 417 per cent without pitches, typical servicing or new business development teams. Here ‘creative people’ lead a creative organisation that celebrates one thing together: creativity. That’s why we believe our people are our biggest asset and the perfect successors to this organisation eventually. Malavika is the perfect first step of many in that direction.”
Centrick partner and chief creative officer Roy Menezes says, “Malavika joined us 3.5 years ago as a writer, which quickly escalated to the responsibility of heading a team. She made Centrick her own. Her tenacity, attitude and personality, with a sharp eye for the fine details of product output or relationships, make her the perfect person for this new role. We are glad to see our dear people take on the reins.”
Shah says, “Centrick has always had this warm fuzzy feeling we love to call home. Vistasp, Vikram and Roy have tried to build a place where one does not come in to do a ‘job’ but to do what they love to do. I love talking to people and I love writing and I just did what I loved doing. I thank them for building this place that celebrates good work and people and look forward to this new role.”
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.
