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Pogo fetes kids talent with Amazing Kids Awards
MUMBAI: 2004 marked the first Pogo Amazing Kids Awards. The award is Pogo’s initiative to celebrate the incredible tenacity and spirit that is prevalent in the children of India.
The guidelines for the award allowed children from all backgrounds to be nominated, besides nominating kids solely on academics, athletics community service and adversity. Pogo will telecast the show on 24 December at 7:30 pm.
The event held on 18 December took off with the Shiamak Davar Troupe. The evening brought in some incredible tapestry of personalities from the filmdom like Pooja Bhatt, Sophie Haque, Sarika, the commonly called Short Circuit, Arshad Warsi, Diya Mirza Saif Ail Khan, Sonu Nigam, Arbaz Khan and many others.
The event was hosted by the Prime Pogo anchors, Chinu and Hussain who started off by announcing the winner of the Pogo amazing Film award which was captured by Dhoom, the director Sanjay Gadhvi along with his daughter collected the award that was presented by Rajpal Yadav and Bharkha.
The performance of the Davar Jr troupe was the focal point of the entire evening. The performance of Urmila Matnodkar, along with the Davar troupe, rocked the stage and brought feisty and energy to the show. Also part of the proceedings was a Mumbai teenage band Kids Koas which later ‘roped in’ Saif Ali Khan, to pull few strings on his guitar.
Hilarious real life cartoon character, Sylvester The Jester gave a live entertaining and comedy magic on stage and the percussionist par excellence Sivamani and his kiddy band threw an excellent performance came as the highlight of the evening.
An unusual show that was showcased was a synchronised beat by the kids playing basketball with Sivamani creating ripples of excitement and drawing in more curiosity from the crowd. The unique aspect of the band was the youngest kiddie aged seven years who was lauded with open-heart full of appreciation
The winners:
Dream Bigger Pogo Award: Mayank Sahu
Play Smarter Pogo Sports Award: Tejesh Parsekar
Think Louder Pogo Award for Brains: Pawan S Bhardwaj
Horlicks Har Pal Chanchal Pogo Award for Fun: Vipul Mhatre
Shine Brighter Pogo Award for Leadership: Neelam Rani. The 10 year-old Neelam resident of Harisinghpura, Haryana hit the headlines for saving two minor girls from being forcibly married off to middle-aged men along with her friends Sunita Shushma and Swati.
The winners for the Pogo Voice Awards, Amazing Hero: Hrithik Roshan, Amazing Heroine: Preity Zinta, Amazing Dancer: Hrithik Roshan, Amazing Comedian: Johhny Lever, Amazing Toons Award: Tom & Jerry and Amazing Pogo show: May Way for Noddy.
The Davar Jr troupe danced on the famous numbers of Main Aisa Kuin Hoon from Lakshya and It’s Magic from Koi Mil Gaya, joined by Hrithik Roshan to dance along with the troupe spilling radiance on the stage.
The absence of Sachin Tendulkar who was felicitated with the Amazing Sports Hero Award and Preity Zinta won The Amazing Heroine Award left some blues amongst the kiddie audience.
Turner Entertainment Networks Asia Inc senior vice-president and general manager Ian Diamond and vice-president advertising sales Monica Tata presented Pogo Development Fund cheque to Going to school programme. The programme basically aims at inspiring kids across the country to get to school through multi-media productions.
Rakesh Roshan was felicitated with a Pogo Special Award for Koi Mil Gaya, which was presented to him by Ian Diamond.
The award was also given to those kids who really achieved something and did a deed for the society in a small way. The Everyday Heros, Ramesh and Rajendra was felicitated by ITC head FMCG buiness western India Sandeep Sule who complimented them for, “The dreams and aspirations, and richly deserve the award for what it takes to fulfill dreams in the face of adversity.”
The event was co-presented by Horlicks and ITC Candy Man, associate sponsors were Gini and Jony and Maruti Suzuki and the event was powered by Indiatimes.com.
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.
