Rajiv Bajaj, Hema Malini, Sudha Murthy chosen for FIE awards

Kolhapur, Nov 29 (UNI) Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj, actress Hema Malini, and Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murthy have been selected for this year's ''Rashtrabhushan'' awards institute by the FIE (Fuel Instruments and Engineering) Foundation.

The annual awards, which carries a purse of Rs five lakh each, was instituted 35 years back by FIE Foundation, is based in the powerloom town of Ichalkaranji in this district.

''The awards are given away in recognition of the contribution of individuals in various fields,'' Foundation trustees Dr S P Mardha and S V Kulkarani said while announcing the names of the awardees today.

The Foundation will also present special awards, carrying a purse of Rs one lakh each, to 12 persons and they include ISRO programme director V R Katti, management educationist Dr M G Korgaonkar, social worker Surendra Koulagi, designer S G Shirgurkar, Giants International chairman Nana Chudasama, chemical engineer Dr Ravin Zunzunwala, Kesari Tour chief administrative director Veena Patil, Symbiosis director Dr S B Mujumdar, Prabhakar Films producer Usha Sharma, Olympian Dhanraj Pillay, GMT director Jayashree Mani, and squash player Joshna Chinappa.

Ten persons will receive ''Achievement'' awards, carrying a purse of Rs 50,000 each, and they include veteran film actor Nilu Phule, industrialist Vasudev Hanji, neurosurgeon Santosh Prabhu, industrialist R S Zanvar, Anil Kavanekar from the field of arts, artist and sculptor Anjali Chandrashekhar, Sangli-based Navbharat Shikshan Mandal founder secretary Dr P B Patil, sports personality Pooja Mehta, Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust president Raghunath Medge, and ''Idea Saregama'' winner Abhijit Kosambi.

The awards function will be held at Ichalkaranji on December 2, and the awards will be presented at the hands of Keichi Ara, an industrialist from Japan.

UNI