New Delhi: Tennis star Leander Adrian Paes and cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar have been declared CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013, in the Outstanding Achievement category.
An ageless wonder, Leander Paes is the oldest man to have won a tennis Grand Slam at the age of 40. When most men his age are reflecting on their professional sporting careers,
Leander Paes is showing no signs of fading out. He isn’t merely competing. By winning the US Open Men’s doubles title, Leander has shown that he is still among the best exponents of his craft in the world. A recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri award, for his outstanding contribution to tennis in India, he has now set his sights on an unprecedented seventh Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Ramakant Achrekar has coached many young cricketers at Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai. He is the man who first spotted the exceptional talent of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin came to Achrekar as a young student and it was under his keen supervision that Tendulkar’s ability was nurtured. Achrekar was always a hard taskmaster who ensured that his star pupil would make rapid strides in the game. Indian cricket owes Achrekar a debt of gratitude.
The award was given to Leander Paes and Ramakant Achrekar in a star-studded awards ceremony held at the Taj Palace in New Delhi today.
The winners across other different categories awarded at the 8th edition of Indian of The Year 2013 are:
Politics - Arvind Kejriwal: For pulling off a stunning political debut and forcing two national parties to substantially alter their electoral strategies in less than 18 months.
Sports - PV Sindhu: For keeping the great run of Indian Badminton going and winning the singles medal at the World Championship.
Business – Rajiv Bajaj: For being the world’s most profitable auto company with 20 per cent margins, a sound export strategy and being a key differentiator in a tough year.
Entertainment - Kapil Sharma: For creating India’s most successful stand-up comedy show that finds a universal appeal across audiences.
Public Service - ADR & Lily Thomas: For piloting the PIL which led to amendment of the law that prevents convicted politicians from contesting in polls.
Special Achievement - Team ITBP & NDRF: For their sterling work in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand tragedy.
Special Achievement - Deepika Padukone: For constantly reinventing herself as a leading lady with exceptional acting abilities and for delivering a slew of mega hits in 2013, including ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, ‘Chennai Express’ and ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’.
Lifetime Achievement - Late Justice Jagdish Sharan Verma: For being the face of Judicial activism in India through his landmark judgements and for his lifelong contribution in the field of law and justice.
CNN-IBN Indian Of The Year 2013 – Stop Acid Attacks: For bringing together survivors of acid attacks, educating people about the abuse and pushing the government for long-term medical treatment of victims.
Instituted in 2006, this is the eighth edition of CNN-IBN Indian of the Year awards. Over the years, these awards have become the benchmark for credibility and excellence in media awards. They have been held in high regard for precision, providing complete information about the process of nomination and selection of the winners. The selection process involves the IBN Editorial Board drawing a list of nominees, which is then authorised by a highly distinguished jury comprising personalities bestowed with the most prestigious Padma honours.
Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN-Lokmat, said, “We at CNN-IBN are privileged to honour these distinguished citizens for their accomplishments and contributions in taking India forward. We congratulate all the winners for their extraordinary contribution.”
