Shiv Gaurav awards to be presented on April 24

Thane: Nonagerian legislator S R Patil and late trade union leader Datta Samant`s son Ganesh are among those who will be conferred the `Shiv Gaurav` award at a glittering function here on April 24.

This was announced here at a news conference by Pratap Sarnaik, MLA and chief of the Vihang Group of Companies, which have instituted these awards. He said that as the day also happens to be anniversary day of great musician Deenanath Mangeshkar, an evening has been organised with the members of the Mangeshkar family. The guests on the occasion include playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and other members of the family. "Lataji is visiting Thane city exactly after a big gap of2 5 years and hence a civic felicitation has also been arranged on the occasion. She will be honoured by Mayor Ashok Vaity and Deputy Chairman of the Maharasthra Legislative Council Vasant Davkhare," Sarnaik said. The award which includes a citation and a memento was instituted four years ago with an intention to encourage Marathi youths to take up entrepreneurship instead of chasing jobs. They will be given away by Lata Mangeshkar. Those who have been selected for the awards include S R Patil (90), who has excelled in industy, education and agriculture sector; Akshay Varde, Mandar Joglekar, handicap industrialist Prasad Fanasgaonkar, Vijay Sonawane, fashion designer Vikram Phadnis, Prathibha Joshi, Ganesh Samant, Sangeeta Vaity, Pallavi Palkar, dietician Rujuta Divekar and Prajakta Patil among others. Yesteryear matinee idol Dharmendra will be honoured with the Master Deenanath Mageshkiar special award for his long standing service to the Indian film industry. Ustad Gulam Mustafa Khan, Sudhir Bhat, Nitin Virkhare, Prasad Sawkar, Mahesh Elkunjwar, and Pravin Davane will also be given different awards for their contribution to arts, music and theatre. PTI