IIMCAA Connections Awards 2024 Honour Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, Sumita Yadav As 'Alumni Of The Year'

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav were crowned as the 'Alumni of the Year' at the prestigious IIMCAA Connections Awards.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards were bestowed upon eminent personalities including veteran newsreader Rini Simon Khanna, accomplished journalist Bernard Vivian Fernandes, and Rajeev Deshpande.

The IIMC Alumni Association celebrated excellence by presenting the prestigious IIMCAA Connections Awards to 23 deserving recipients during its 12th Global Meet held in Delhi. Notable figures from diverse fields were acknowledged for their remarkable contributions, with filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav being crowned as the 'Alumni of the Year'.

Among the recipients were esteemed individuals who have left an indelible mark in their respective domains. The Lifetime Achievement Awards were bestowed upon eminent personalities including veteran newsreader Rini Simon Khanna, accomplished journalist Bernard Vivian Fernandes, and Rajeev Deshpande, recognising their profound impact in the field of media and beyond, according to a statement.

Further accolades were extended to public servants for their exemplary dedication. Sanjive Shukla, DIG – UP; former MP minister Rajvardhan Singh; Assam Police SP Numal Mahatta; IAS officer Mitali Namchoom Singh; and Manipur’s MLA Sheikh Noorul Hasan were honoured with the Public Service Awards for their outstanding commitment to societal welfare.

The event, graced by the presence of IIMCAA President Simrat Gulati, witnessed insightful addresses by esteemed personalities including Special Commissioner of the Delhi Govt. Sushil Singh, Jyoti Kumar, Nitin Pradhan, Gayatri Srivastava, Anwar Ashraf, Mona Parthasarathi, and Deeksha Saksena among others.

Rajender Kumar Kataria, IAS; journalist Bhola Nath; Odisha’s Sanjay Kumar Sahoo; Jyoti Prakash Mohapatra; and Delhi’s Animesh Biswas and Ritesh Verma received the esteemed ‘Pillar of IIMCAA’ award, highlighting their significant contributions to the association and beyond.

Application For IIMCAA Awards 2025 To Open From June Onwards

Vineet Handa, the Convenor of the IIMCAA Awards 2024, informed that applications for the next round of awards will be open from June onwards, with the grand ceremony slated for July-August this year.

"The event began with a tribute to alumni who passed away in the last year, followed by the release of a souvenir and a book titled ‘Odyssey,’ a compilation of interviews with former students. Additionally, 91 alumni who graduated 25 years ago were honoured with Silver Jubilee honours. A Lucky Draw also saw 51 alumni and students receive smartphones, radios, and smartwatches," the statement read.

Looking ahead, the annual meeting of IIMC, Connections, is set to traverse various cities in India and abroad, where IIMCAA members are prominent. Upcoming events include gatherings in Patna and Mumbai on March 10 and 23 respectively, it further mentioned.