2011 Darpan Achievers

Image Caption: Keynote Speaker Narayanan Krishnan (left) receiving the International Sensation award from Dr. Aly Kanani (right) at DARPAN Magazine’s Extraordinary Achievement Awards.

Find additional photos of Darpan’s Extraordinary Awards Ceremony in our PHOTO GALLERY

Friday, September 30 2011 marked DARPAN Magazine’s 2nd annual Extraordinary Achievement Awards Ceremony. Held at Royal King Banquet Hall, the event was nothing short of spectacular and recognized outstanding achievements among members of the South Asian community.

Belle Puri, from CBC, kicked off the night by introducing keynote speaker Mr. Narayanan Krishnan. Recognized as one of CNN’s top 10 Heroes in 2010, Mr. Narayanan shared his story with the audience and received a standing ovation from over 600 attendees.

Mr. Narayanan was presented with a $5000 cheque from Gurvinder Hundal and Ramneek Dhillon of DARPAN, and was incredibly gracious in receiving the gift. Later in the evening, Gurvinder and Ramneek showed their support for another great cause and presented a $5000 cheque to Wally Oppal, who spoke on behalf of Canadian Cancer Society.

The evening’s entertainment included a stunning fashion show put on by Crossover Bollywood Sé, as well as a Michael Jackson inspired performance by Signature, the hit British dance group that was discovered on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Congratulations again to the following Extraordinary Achievement Award winners:

Corporate Engagement winner Mr. Asa Singh Johal, Industry Marvel winner Harjinder Thind, International Sensation winner Narayanan Krishnan, Breaking Barriers winner Lieutenant Colonel Harjit Sajjan, Community Crusader winner Baljit Sethi, Spirit of Sport winner Ken Pereira, Young Wonder winner Ish Jhaj, Eclectic Humanitarian winner Mantej Dhillon, Artistic Visionary winner Paul Binning (unable to attend due to illness); and Heritage Defender winner Mr. Balwant Sanghera.

A special thank you goes to our title sponsor, Canadian Western Bank. We would also like to thank gold sponsors Dr. Aly Kanani and Cowell Auto Group, as well as our Silver sponsors Mainstreet Equity Corp., Thind Signature Development, SFU,Capital Tile & Stone, Overseas Auto Body, Desert Hills Winery, OMNI and Sunrise Kitchens. The support of DARPAN’s sponsors was integral to the success of the event.

A big thank you goes out to everyone who went above and beyond to ensure an exceptional event. Your efforts were greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you all at next year’s ceremony!

Category	Extraordinary Achievement Award Recipients
Corporate Engagement	Awarded to Mr. Asa Singh Johal, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a South Asian entrepreneur
Community Crusader	Awarded to Baljit Sethi, in honour of her extraordinary achievements as an aspiring leader within the South Asian community.
Breaking Barriers	Awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Harjit Sajjan, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a courageous servant of The Canadian Forces.
Eclectic Humanitarian	Awarded to Mantej Dhillon, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a benevolent samaritan.
Heritage Defender	Awarded to Mr. Balwant Sanghera, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a civil servant to the preservation of the Punjabi language.
International Sensation	Awarded to Narayanan Krishnan, in honour of his extraordinary achievements and commitment to bettering the livelihood of others on a global scale.
Spirit of Sport	Awarded to Ken Pereira, in honour of his extraordinary achievements and contributions as an inspiring athlete.
Young Wonder	Awarded to Ish Jhaj, in honour of her extraordinary achievements in community initiatives and academia.
Industry Marvel	Awarded to Harjinder Thind, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a dominant personality within the South Asian media.
Artistic Visionary	Awarded to Paul Binning, in honour of his extraordinary achievements as a South Asian philanthropic artist. (Unable to attend due to illness)