The 6th edition of The Restore Awards®, endorsed by the United Nations UNAIDS, was hosted at JW Marriott Sahar, Mumbai. The event showcased powerful moments of inclusion, featuring people in wheelchairs and neurodiverse individuals walking the cause-led fashion show, while transgender activists contributed as members of the jury. Luminaries like Imtiaz Ali, Khatija Rahman, Mr S Ravi, Chairman Of Tourism Finance Corporation, India, Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman, BusinessWorld Group and Exchange4Media; Senior oncologist, Dr Bharat Bhosale, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jawahar Panjwani; physiotherapist to the Indian cricket team, Dr Ali Irani and other specialists were part of the amazing awards ceremony at JW Marriott Sahar, Mumbai.
“Hosting the Restore Awards® underscores our commitment to mindful hospitality and our role as a nurturing host of transformative conversations in the city we call home— Gateway to Mumbai,” said Sachin Mylavarapu General Manager - JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar. The hotel hosted the awards for the second year in a row to demonstrate solidarity to the cause. For the last six years, The Restore Awards® by the Kindness Practice Foundation, an NGO, founded by Dr Rachna Chhachhi, cancer, nutrition, and mental health therapist, support and celebrate individuals and organisations in the areas of mental health, inclusion and sustainability. Unlike other awards, there is no registration or entry fee for these awards. The awards were presented by the foundation, hosted by JW Marriott, and partnered by Right Shift from ITC, as nutrition partner, Organic India from Tata Consumer as gifts partner and The Honest Blend as beverage partner.
“Kindness is not a soft skill,” said Dr Chhachhi on stage. “It is an active choice that creates a powerful impact in helping us be in more positive mental health.” The awards are supported by corporates and individuals who donate for the cause to the foundation which implements awareness projects in mental health, inclusion and sustainability. TV actor Shweta Kawatra is a Kindness ambassador and supports mental health for women in different stages for the NGO. She says, “Having battled postpartum depression, I’m happy to extend my support to The Restore Awards® as a tribute and a salute to the well-being warriors for their unparalleled humanitarian efforts towards empowering fellow humans.”
CHRO and chief Sustainability Head, Himal Tiwari endorsed the cause of the awards and spoke about initiatives for inclusion, mental health and sustainability within the Tata Power group of companies. He expressed, “Tata Power has their flagship initiative 'Pay Autention', India's first phygital autism support network to augment early identification and care for young adults with Autism. They have partnered with Kindness Practice Foundation to launch a multicity autism programme at the awards. “We are delighted to partner with The Restore Awards® to further expedite our mission."
This year winners included Mitti Café, which is run by persons with disabilities (PWDs), Yash Charitable Trust, which works of skill development and employment programs for neurodiverse individuals, Dr Karishma Kirti, breast cancer surgeon, who is creating awareness on early detection for breast cancer, Aaroha Music Therapy, which helps patients with pain, undergoing cancer treatments, those with sleep issues, release their stress and pain through music therapy, GoodKarma Farms, a Centre for regenerative agricultural practises, N S. Naveen, a lupus warrior who creates awareness on movement and mobility, Pawdopt, a rescue and rehabilitation shelter for all kinds of animals, Millet Tribe by Sonia Luthra, which creates awareness on our oldest greens and healthy eating, Thepla House by Tejal, which promotes vegetarian home-cooked means across many locations in Mumbai, Tata power for the impact on autism through their 'Pay Autention' programme, Imaara Foundation, an NGO, which provides support to victims of sexual and gender based violence, and Sisters Living Works, a suicide prevention NGO. All these winners are impacting planet and human health to become better in these difficult times when human and planet degradation is rising drastically.
