Manisha Malu Verma, social activist and wedding planner from the city was chosen as one of the awardees for ushering in change in the district under the ‘Transformation of Aspirational District’ programme, a brainchild of NITI Aayog. The programme aims to quickly and effectively bring about transformational changes in the chosen 115 districts of India.
Manisha received the award for her work in the field of children education, hygiene, cleanliness, and uplift of the less fortunate. The award selection jury was led by former Chief Justice K Balakrishnan and comprised Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra, former Supreme Court Judge, Dr. S Y Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India; Sonal Mansingh, Padma Vibhushan; Anil Kumar Sinha, former CBI director; Pahlaj Nihalani, former chairman, Central Board of Film Certification; Yaduvendra Mathur, additional secretary, NITI Aayog and president, Aditya Birla Group, Amit Bajaj.
A total of 35 prominent citizens including senior political leaders, bureaucrats and social activists from around the country were selected for this prestigious award. The awards were presented at a glittering ceremony at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of all the jury members and dignitaries including filmmaker Subhash Ghai, Bollywood actor Govinda, CEO of Power Corridors Nandan Jha, Dr. Ved Prakash Vedik, Veteran journalist and other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Naidu said, “Ultimate aim of good governance and reforms was to empower the last man in the queue and providing a say for such persons in the process of development.