From left: Gopal Agrawal, Dipen Agrawal, Banwarilal Purohit, Ramesh Jayaswal and Pyare Khan

Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab and administrator of Chandigarh, on November 6, felicitated Ramesh Jayaswal (NECO group), Gopal Agrawal (Sandesh group) and Pyare Khan (Ashmi group) with ‘CAMIT Shikhar Seva Samman 2021’ award for their selfless contribution to society during the COVID pandemic.

The ceremony was organised by Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT) at Chitnavis Centre in Nagpur with an intention to acknowledge the exemplary contribution by people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dipen Agrawal, President, CAMIT

Dipen Agrawal, President, CAMIT, welcomed Banwarilal Purohit with shawl, shreephal and floral bouquet. During his introductory remarks, Agrawal said: “Mankind faced never experienced before hardship due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Nagpur was one of the worst hit cities in India, especially during the second wave with numerous people suffering and finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Even in such testing times, the people we are felicitating today (Ramesh Jayaswal, Gopal Agrawal and Pyare Khan) found it in their hearts to fight all odds and contribute selflessly to help citizens in need. During the second wave, when there was paucity of oxygen, Ramesh Jayaswal made liquid oxygen available from his steel plant at Siltara, Chhattisgarh, free of cost for the treatment of patients.

Pyare Khan transported liquid oxygen from one city to another free of cost. Gopal Agarwal, through R Sandesh Foundation, distributed ration and medical kits and food packets to needy during first and second wave of COVID pandemic. During the second wave, his organization created a oxygen concentrator bank and provided oxygen concentrators to the needy without any charges.”

Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab

Speaking during the award ceremony, Purohit said: “It is laudable that while many other organisations too worked for the welfare of the people and provided various goods and services at cost and did not profiteer at such testing times, the felicitated people did not even recover the cost of the goods and services provided by them and altruistically worked for mitigating the harm caused during the pandemic.” Purohit further appreciated the efforts of CAMIT for acknowledging the efforts of such selfless people and said that this will inspire many more citizens to contribute in situations of emergency and social distress.

Ramesh Jayaswal

While speaking about the seven social sins (Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Religion without sacrifice and Politics without principle) penned by father of nation Mahatma Gandhi in 1925, Purohit said that they were relevant even and shall remain the same for times to come. Purohit further discussed how avoiding these sins is equally essential in day-to-day business and all aspects of life. During the ceremony, Purohit also unveiled and launched two books Man Mayavi and Aghor – The Shadow of Shiva – authored by Prabha Lalit Singh.

Pyare Khan

Other than Ramesh Jayaswal, Gopal Agrawal and Pyare Khan, Kailash Jogani (President, NCCL), Hemant Gandhi (Immediate past president, NVCC), JP Sharma (Immediate past present, VTA), Shivkumar Rao (President, VED) Pradeep Khandelwal (President, BMA), Tejinder Singh Renu (President, MRHA), Chandrashekhar Shegaonkar (President, MIA), Suresh Rathi (President, VIA) Julfesh Shah (President, COSIA), Gopal Bhatia (President WCYMA), Rajesh Sarda (President, SHCV), Rajnikant Bondre (President, ACI) and others were felicitated by Purohit.

Gopal,Agrawal

Prominently present during the ceremony were BK Agrawal, Sanjay K Agrawal (President, CAMIT), Ashok Ahuja, Pramod Agrawal, Dharamveer Sharma, Rajkumar Gupta, Rajesh Lakhotia, Dinesh Sarda, Umesh Patel, Sharad Agrawal, Santosh Kabra, Natwar Patel, Rajesh Vasani, Kamlesh Lakhani, Surendra Jaiswal, Sandeep Bhatta, Manoj Shah, Vishal Jaiswal, Girish Mullani, Anand Jayaswal, Archit Jayaswal, Dr Ramteke, and others. The CAMIT Shikar Seva Samman 2021 ceremony was anchored by Sweta Shelgaonkar and vote of thanks was proposed by Ashok Sanghvi.