MANGALURU: NRI businessman and philanthropist Michael D’Souza will be honoured with the Kudla Beacon Award as the School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, gears up to host the first-ever Roshni Impact Awards 2025. The event, scheduled for December 20 at the Roshni Nilaya campus, aims to celebrate India’s unsung change-makers who have created lasting social impact across diverse fields.
The Kudla Beacon Award, one of the top honours of the ceremony, recognises D’Souza’s extensive contributions to community welfare. Over the years, he has supported education, housing, and empowerment initiatives across the region. His philanthropic footprint includes ₹33.5 crore in interest-free educational loans and assistance in building over 417 homes for economically vulnerable families—efforts that have earned him widespread admiration in and around Mangaluru.
Celebrating impactful change-makers
Instituted as part of Roshni Nilaya’s 65-year legacy, the Roshni Impact Awards reflect the institution’s motto: “Where Knowledge Becomes Service, and Service Becomes Light.” The awards aim to highlight individuals and organisations that have demonstrated measurable, sustainable, and meaningful impact in communities nationwide. The initiative also reinforces the institution’s longstanding commitment to values such as justice, dignity, compassion, and service.
The event will feature Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, president of the Human Rights Protection Foundation, Udupi, as the chief guest. A respected voice in human rights advocacy, his decades of work in resolving citizen grievances and his lived experiences during the Emergency have shaped his life-long dedication to justice. Ahmed Kabeer, a young entrepreneur and digital creator from KTB Shop24—who has built a successful online brand despite severe physical immobility—will be the guest of honour, representing resilience and innovation.
Awards across diverse fields
The Roshni Impact Awards will recognise a distinguished group of individuals whose work spans community empowerment, mental health, legal reform, environmental conservation, and disability inclusion.
Community Catalyst Award
This honour will be presented to Dr N Joshua Jayaseelan of Madras Christian College. His extensive work includes peace education, youth development, child protection, environmental awareness, and community empowerment, making him a transformative figure in social change.
Mind Matters Award
The award will go to Dr Anish V Cherian of NIMHANS, known for his leadership in psychiatric social work and mental-health research. His contributions have strengthened suicide-prevention frameworks, community mental-health programmes, and evidence-based interventions across the country.
Justice Trailblazer Award
Advocate Flavia Agnes, co-founder of the MAJLIS Legal Centre, will receive this award for more than four decades of feminist legal advocacy. She has supported over one lakh survivors of violence, influencing national discourse on gender justice and women’s rights.
Earth Guardian Award
Environmental activist Jeeth Milan Roche, a familiar figure in coastal Karnataka’s green movement, will be recognised for planting over two lakh trees and developing more than 15 Miyawaki forests in Mangaluru. His work has significantly contributed to urban afforestation and environmental awareness.
Nazneen Abdulla Yenepoya Special Jury Award
This award will be presented to Poonam Pardeshi of Perkins India. Blind since birth, Pardeshi has spent two decades championing disability inclusion, transforming accessible education, advocacy, training, and assistive technology integration. Her work has influenced national-level dialogues on inclusion and rights-based approaches.
Transparent and rigorous selection
The awardees were chosen through a multi-stage national selection process that prioritised measurable impact, transparency, and merit over popularity. The jury included prominent figures from banking, mental health, social innovation, social work, and gender studies: Allen C A Pereira, Dr N Janardhan, Prof P K Shahjahan, L S Gandhi Doss, and Dr Rita Noronha.
The organisers hope the Roshni Impact Awards will evolve into an annual platform that honours individuals who illuminate communities through dedicated service, resilience, and transformative action.