In a meticulously orchestrated and thoughtfully conceived press conference, the Charles Walters Council for Innovation & Research announced the highly anticipated Honour of Ashoka Award ceremony. This prestigious event in the realm of public administration took place on September 29, 2024, at the illustrious India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Far exceeding the confines of traditional ceremonial recognition, the occasion aimed to commemorate not only the organization’s annual milestones but also its foundational ethos, which has served as the bedrock of its profound influence in innovation and research.
The Honour of Ashoka Award, a hallmark of excellence bestowed by the organization, stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence by a distinguished cadre of bureaucrats and senior administrative policymakers. These exceptional individuals, meticulously scrutinized and selected, were honored for their unparalleled contributions to the sustenance of law, order, and the impeccable administration of governance. This ceremonial event was not merely a platform to extol these eminent figures; it sought to cast a brilliant spotlight on the profound leadership qualities they embody, inspiring probationary officials and aspiring candidates preparing for the Union Public Service Commission examinations by providing them with paragons of leadership and dedication to emulate.
The Charles Walters Council for Innovation & Research, registered as a Section 8 company under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has tirelessly dedicated itself to nurturing creativity, research, and innovation. This organization stands at the forefront of fostering a scientific temperament among the youth, carefully steering India towards a future rooted in advanced scientific acumen. The Council’s focus encompasses the intricacies of artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence, robotics, and neuro-linguistics, deeply embedded in the practical guidance it offers to youth, ranging from the complexities of patent filing to the achievement of success as emerging scientists.
At the helm of this visionary organization is Abhishek Pandey, a distinguished scholar with master’s degrees in both chemistry and English. Pandey’s extensive experience in education and academia spans the entire spectrum, from intricate training methodologies to the formulation of curricula grounded in the latest pedagogical innovations. His pioneering initiatives have garnered national recognition, earning accolades from the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as other eminent figures, including the Honourable Law Minister, Governor, and Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Pandey’s contributions to transforming classrooms into environments of joy and psychological attunement further solidified his reputation as a luminary in education. His establishment of the Honour of Ashoka Award notably attracted attention from India’s Defence Minister, underscoring the ceremony's significance on a national scale.
In addition to his visionary endeavors, including proposals for the Indian Teaching Services, Pandey has received commendations from the Honourable Education Minister of India. His relentless commitment to societal upliftment—demonstrated through organizing blood donation drives, health camps, food banks, and other initiatives—has been recognized by the Honourable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, his recent initiative to provide self-defense training for girls across 13 states earned him further acclaim from the Honourable Home Minister of India.
The 2024 Honour of Ashoka Award ceremony was poised to be an event of unparalleled grandeur and prestige, graced by the presence of two eminent chief guests: His Excellency Shri Shekhar Dutt (Retd IAS), former Deputy National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary, and Governor of Chhattisgarh, along with Honourable General Deepak Kapoor, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. The event was presided over by His Lordship Mr. Justice BP Singh, former Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court of India, lending additional gravitas to the proceedings. Furthermore, distinguished guests such as Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan, former Minister of State for Education and External Affairs, confirmed their attendance, ensuring that the event's significance was accentuated by their esteemed presence.
The roster of honorees constituted a veritable roll call of the nation’s most senior and revered bureaucrats and policymakers. This illustrious assembly included IAS officers such as Arvind Mayaram, Deepak Singhal, Harshal Pancholi, RituSuhas, Heera Lal, Pulkit Kare, Anuj Chandak, Neha Prakash, Anil Sinha, Anup Garg, Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan, Kumar Vineet, Abhinav Siwach, Pravimal Abhishek, Nikhil Nirmal, Sanjay Mishra, Shakil Ahmed, Pranjal Yadav, G. Asok, Sridhar Vidyamari, Vasu Jain, along with IPS officers like Harjit Sandhu, Rajinder Pal Singh, P. Vijayan, Dr.BaburaoKuchipudi, AbhilashaBist, Abhishek Pallava, Karthikeyan Gokulchandran, Kamanasish Sen, Arvind Kumar Maurya, Kalpna Saxena, Sai Krishna Thota, VS Rathore, Brig. CD Singh, Brig. Pranav Kumar, Chirag Jain, Atul Kulkarni, Dr. Rajeev Naraian Mishra, Rajiv Dixit, Rajesh Pandey, Anant Deo, Ayush Vikram Singh, Rajesh Kumar, S.B.S. Tyagi, Shubham Arya, Rajinder Kumar Gupta, Surya Kant Tripathi, Vipul Kumar Srivastava, Pankaj, Aditya Prakash Verma, Akhilesh Kumar Chaurasia, Mahendra Pal Singh, M.S. Upadhey, Narendra Kumar Singh, IRS officers such as Sant Saran Mantri, Megha Bhargav, Keerthishri S., Ramendra Ratnakar Singh, Amar Pal, Rahul Raising, Satbir Singh, Ugrasen Dhar Dwivedi, Shashank Dwivedi, Arvind Kumar Chaurasia, Shaifali Singh, Kapil Jambhulkar, Priyam Shankar, Naresh Bundel, IRTS Ajay Kumar Shukla, IRPS Anuraj Gupta, IRPFS officers Sumati Shandilya, Santosh Namby, Sanjay Kishore, S. Pandian, Saurav Kumar, IFS MamtaPriydarshini, IFS Vinay Kumar, IFS Raj Kumar Srivastava, IFS Gurleen Kaur, IFS Satwik Vats, IFS Siddhartha Tripathi, IES Kartikay Kaushik, IES Praveen Sajjanapu, IES Parul Jain, IES Tanveer Khan, ITS Sumnesh Joshi, IIS Ashutosh Mohle, IDSE Tushar Chaudhary, IAF Wing Commander Ganga Nidhi Agarwal, Lt. Gen. Shokin Chauhan, Maj. Gen. Sanjay Soi, Maj. Gen. Manoj Tiwari, Maj. Gen. SVP Singh, Mr. Justice PS Narayana, among many others. Each of these individuals, exemplifying administrative excellence, integrity, and dedication, was duly acknowledged for their monumental contributions to the governance and administration of the nation.
The ceremony was further ennobled by the presence of esteemed judges from the Supreme Court of India, thereby elevating the event’s stature to unprecedented heights. The Honour of Ashoka Award 2024 was not merely a celebration; it was an epoch-making occasion that indelibly inscribed itself into the annals of Indian administration and governance, setting a benchmark for excellence that will resonate for generations to come.
