Excellence. Accomplishment. Glitz. Glamour. The 35th Giants International Awards proved to be a surprisingly humorous and lively event at the Oberoi on Monday September 17. Nooruddin Sevwallah, the Chairman of the Giants Day Celebration Committee said that he was once again, proud of the awardees lined up for the evening. Vikram Singh Mehta, for his contribution in Business and Industry, Dr. Indu Sahani for her brilliance in Education, Dr. T.P. Lahane for Medicine, Preity Zinta (who walked in with beau Ness Wadia) and John Abraham for being social activists in their own rights from the film industry, Mahavirprasad G. Saraf for Social Service, Pandit Suresh Talwalkar for Music and Farzana Contractor for her contribution in the field of Journalism.

“Just like the Giants, each one has benchmarked themselves to their global best, and nothing less,” said Sevwallah.

Several individuals were felicitated for their close participation, support and contribution to the organisation, from chief guest aviation minister Praful Patel to F.T. Khorakiwallah to Bakul Patel.

World Chairman Nana Chudasama, “going 75 strong”, in the words of Patel, “is still, like Johnny Walker …  still walking”. Carrying his age with humour and dignity, Chudasama cracked jokes about how the organisation has awarded only one politician in its 35 years for his contribution to society and that was when the politician was not yet occupying a seat in the government.

“That was Mr. Manmohan Singh, and now I think maybe we can consider approaching him again,” he said to a burst of laughter from  the guests.

Each awardee received their awards in characteristic styles that remained true to their own personalities. Dr. Indu Sahani began by quoting Rabindranath Tagore: “‘The two biggest resources that any university can have are its students and its teachers.’ I dedicate this award to the thousands of students who inspired me to teach and to the selfless commitment of so many teachers who keep the education system going.”

Ironically enough, Dr. Sahani received the award from an ex-student of hers, Praful Patel! Even as she urged him to take on the country’s education portfolio, she thanked a bemused John Abraham for teaching her an important lesson in teaching!

“I had breakfast with John Abraham for Bombay Times and received my PhD on the same day,” she said. “I was thrilled, it was the happiest day of my life, but all my peers and junior students were interested in was not in congratulating me for my PhD but in what John ate for breakfast.”

John, on the other hand, stylish and dapper in a black suit and spiked hair, had come with his parents and dedicated his award to them, remaining unabashedly true to all reports of him being a mama’s boy.

“People call me an activist for animals, but few know about my parents,” he said. “My mother takes care of the street children and dogs in our neighbourhood; my father builds homes for the tsunami victims as he is an architect. I thank them for bringing me up in a responsible way.”

The effervescent Preity Zinta, who was clearly embarrassed at the accolades being heaped upon her, accepted hers with a joke.

“A man would pray to God to make him win the lottery; he prayed every day, month and years,” she said. “After five years God came down and slapped him and said, okay, I’ll help you win the lottery but at least buy a lottery ticket. The moral of the story is that however hard you may pray to God, you still need to make an effort of your own, no matter how small that effort is.”

Substance delivered in an attractive package – the joke had Zinta’s stamp all over it. She graciously excused herself for a shoot.

Pandit Suresh Talwalkar was soft and humble. “I know my music is less important than the kind of work Nana does, and I am so grateful for this recognition.”

Saving the best for the last, Farzana Contractor was awarded for her contribution to the field of journalism. Clad in a black sari, her look was one of understated glamour, simple and elegant, and she was graciousness itself while accepting the award.

“Upper Crust may be my baby, but it is the Afternoon that is close to my heart,” she said. “It was a challenge at that time to start the paper, but Behram and I did it; today it is even more of a challenge to keep it going with the big bucks doing the rounds, but I am glad to say that we have retained our loyal readership.”

She spoke fondly of her late husband, who got the award in 1991. “He had a strange way of not offending people and he never liked awards,” she said. “But I know that if he were with us today, he would be beaming at me with pride. In his memory, with the greatest humility, I accept this award.”

The ceremony ended amidst much laughter as the distinguished emcee Hugo directed the guests to dinner. Humour was as much a part of the evening as the acknowledgement of social achievements in different fields … quite like how life should be: a balance of the two.

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