Honorable Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram and N.R. Narayanamurthy Felicitate Awardees at the India NGO Awards 2007

2007 Winners Goonj.., from left to right: Shri. N. R. Narayanamurthy, CEO & Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies Ltd.; The Honorable Finance Minister Shri. P. Chidambaram, Mal Warwick, Chair, The Resource Alliance; Anshu Gupta, Director, Goonj.. and the rest of his Team

The Honorable Finance Minister, Shri. P. Chidambaram felicitated Goonj.. as the ‘NGO of the Year 2007’ at the annual India NGO Awards ceremony organized by the Foundation and The Resource Alliance in New Delhi on March 5th 2008. The awards were instituted in 2006 to recognize best practices in resource mobilization, accountability and transparency amongst the voluntary sector in India. Shri. N. R. Narayanamurthy, CEO & Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies Ltd. also shared the dais as the guest of honor.

This year the Foundation and The Resource Alliance collaborated with COVA, Gram Vikas and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research to select and award the ‘Best NGO of the Year 2007’ in India. Three finalists were selected from each of the four regions—North, South, East and West—based on their fundraising capabilities, categorized as small, medium and large. The nominees were evaluated on effective and sustainable mobilization of resources from the local community, demonstration of efficient management of resources, good governance practices, transparency and accountability and the impact of the services it provides to its beneficiaries.

These awards have promoted the cause of non-profit organizations like ours and have given us a platform to adopt transparent and accountable systems of governance and management.

Anshu K. Gupta, Goonj..

 The awardees underwent a rigorous process of audits and multiple rounds of elimination conducted by the knowledge partners Grant Thornton and the eminent panel of jury members comprised of Ramesh Ramanathan (founder of Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy), Dr. Syeda Hameed (Member—Planning Commission, Government of India), Dr. Maxine Olson (United Nations Resident Coordinator), Deep Joshi (co-founder and former Executive Director of PRADAN), Vinod Chandiok (National Chairman of Grant Thornton India.

Amongst the 12 regional finalists were Goonj.., Dream A Dream, The Banyan, The Childline Foundation of India, Deepalya, CRY, CEE and BISWA. Goonj.. was the national winner for small NGOs, The Banyan and The Childline Foundation of India tied in the medium category and CRY received the award for large NGOs. The Awardees have been presented a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 4,00,000. Overall, Goonj.. was awarded ‘NGO of the year’ and was presented an additional prize of Rs. 2,00,000.