The inaugural Namma Bengaluru awards were held at the Palace Grounds on Saturday, February 27th 2010. An initiative of the Namma Bengaluru Foundation, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the ceremony was held to honour Bangalore citizens.

From over 4000 nominations, 26 finalists were chosen. Of these, 14 winners were chosen and awarded by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Governer H R Bhardwaj. The winners were awarded Rs 25,001 each, along with a memento.

Following are the winners:

Private Individuals

Ashis K Chand – A neuro-surgeon, he has imparted superior quality healthcare in remote and backward areas of society

Dr Sudarshan Ballal – Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of Manipal Health Systems, he provides free healthcare for the economically weak

Sister Adele Korah – She provides counselling to inmates of the Bangalore Central Jail and admits the children of these prisoners in a residential school

Vatsala Prabhu – An entrepreneur, who runs a foundation called Ashadeep which works with mentally challenged children

Mahadeva – He has cremated over 40,000 unclaimed dead bodies, ensuring that it is done in a respectful manner

Public Individuals

Somashekar – This Head Constable of the Nandini Layout police station has helped capture the culprits in a recent city triple murder case

Krishnaprakash T S – A finger print expert at the Police Commissioner’s office, who has solved over 265 cases

Private Institutions

Sankara Eye Care – A super-specialty eye hospital that provides preventive and curative eye care for children from economically weaker sections

Rainwater Club – Headed by S Vishwanath, a pioneer of rainwater harvesting in the city

Sikshana Bangalore – An intervention that nurtures government schools by applying management concepts and providing technology

Belaku Trust – A free-of-cost old age home for women and an orphanage (with schooling taken care of)

Sparsh Vachana – A voluntary organisation that provides free orthopaedic treatment to needy children

Public Institutions

BBMP Zero Garbage – A pilot project introduced in Gandhinagar in August 2009s

Government High School, Kadabagere – Imparting quality education for the past 23 years, this school stresses on the importance of social awareness and socio-cultural activities.   ⊕