New Delhi, 5 July 2012: To celebrate the endless journey of learning and pay tribute to the sacred Indian concept of guru-shishya parampara, IBN7, in partnership with Pratap University, today announced the winners of the 2nd edition of Guru Shishya Awards.

IBN7 Guru Shishya Awards recognises the extraordinary contributions made by a guru and his/her shishya, who have kept this unique Indian tradition alive and achieved success in their chosen fields.

These nine inspirational duos were selected from a wide variety of fields including advertising, sports, dance, photography, business, art and social service. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to guru Ebrahim Alkazi and his Shishya Om Puri. Ebrahim Alkazi is the flag-bearer of the theatrical tradition that brought new realism and purpose to Indian drama. He nurtured some of the greatest acting talents of the era including Om Puri.

In a glittering awards ceremony held in the capital, chief guest, BJP President Nitin Gadkari felicitated the winners. The grand finale of the awards ceremony will be telecast on IBN7 on Saturday, 14 July 2012 at 8:00 PM.

IBN7 Guru Shishya Awards adheres to a process of selection which has the IBN Editorial Board at its core. This Board nominates, deliberates, and after many levels of scrutiny, finalises the winners, keeping in mind their sterling contribution and achievements. The nine guru-shishya duos that were honoured at the awards ceremony are:

· Guru Anjolie Ela Menon and Shishyaa Vimmi Indra - Emerging contemporary artist Vimmi Indra owes it all to her mentor, renowned muralist Padma Shri Anjolie Ela Menon. Since childhood, Vimmi was always inspired by her mentor's work and her dream came true in 2004 when she got the opportunity to become Anjolie's shishyaa.

· Guru Shiamak Davar and Shishyaa Aneesha Dalal - Veteran choreographer Shiamak Davar's protégé Aneesha Dalal dedicated her life to dance since the age of 14. As one of the leading instructors in Shiamak Davar's core group, Aneesha has choreographed for Bollywood films, done modeling assignments, but decided to devote her life to her guru.

· Guru Mahabir Singh and Shishyaas Geeta & Babita Phogat - Wrestler Mahabir Singh trained his daughters, including Geeta and Babita Phogat, in an akhara built at his home. The hard work and dedication by father-cum-coach Mahabir inspired the daughters to bring accolades to the nation in 2010 Commonwealth Championship. Now, Geeta has become the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for Olympics.

· Guru Piyush Pandey and Shishya Prasoon Joshi - The Godfather of Indian Advertising, Piyush Pandey and his disciple Prasoon Joshi need no introduction. Under the leadership of his guru, today Prasoon is a distinguished name in the advertising, media and film fraternity.

· Guru Shovana Narayan and Shishyaa Madhura Phatak - Kathak danseuse Padma Shri Shovana Narayan inspired and exposed Madhura Phatak to a whole new dimension of Kathak. Honoured with prestigious awards like Sahitya Kala Parishad and Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta Award, Madhura now trains physically challenged children at Akshay Pratishthan and the girls at Arushi Trust NGO.

· Guru Raghu Rai and Shishya Nitin Rai - Starting at an early age of 13 as an apprentice to his father and legendary lensman Raghu Rai, Nitin Rai carried the legacy of photography forward and is now an established photographer in his own right. Like his father, Nitin's work too has been featured & appreciated nationally and internationally.

· Guru Rana Kapoor and Shishyaa Raakhe Kapoor - Like any daughter, Raakhe Kapoor also looked up to her father Rana Kapoor, the CEO and MD of YES Bank. Rana Kapoor influenced her life in many ways, and today, Raakhe has gained enough knowledge and exposure to plan her own financial services venture.

· Guru Popatrao Pawar & Shishya Rajendra Thange - Sarpanch Popatrao Pawar, changed the face of his drought-prone village to one that got Maharashtra its first National Productivity Award for the best watershed work. Inspired by Popatrao's vision and his tireless efforts, Rajendra Thange took up the responsibility to work for the prosperity of Hivre Bazaar and has improved the state of nearby villages too.
Speaking on the initiative, Ashutosh, Managing Editor, IBN7, said, "The guru-shishya relationship has been the sacred cornerstone of our religious and educational traditions and it gives us immense pleasure to acknowledge and honour this unconditional and selfless bond.

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