Yohan Poonawalla Receives “Business Leader of the Year Award” in the Fifth Edition of Gravittus Foundation’s URJA Awards 2022

 Photo Caption: (From LtoR): Ms. Usha Kakade, Ms. Sharmila Raj Thackeray, Mr. Yohan Poonawalla, Ms. Amruta Fadanvis, Ms. Medha Kulkarni and Ms.Rupali Chakankar at the Fifth Edition of Gravittus Foundation’s URJAAwards 2022

Pune, February, 2022: URJA Awards 2022, a brainchild of Usha Kakade’s Gravittus Foundation, honored Mr. Yohan Poonawalla, Chairman and Director of various Poonawalla Group of companies, with the Business Leader of the Year award this year.  The URJA award is bestowed on the leaders and dignitaries from the fields of entertainment, sports, business, social activities, and educational sectors who have made significant contributions to society.

On receiving the award, Mr. Poonawalla said, “It is a proud moment for me to receive this prestigious award. The award bears testimony to our companies, focusing on various businesses like engineering, finance, exports, real estate, investment, and horse breeding. Our vision has always been to strive for excellence by constantly pushing our boundaries and taking every challenge as an opportunity to meet our business goals. We have been involved in various philanthropic activities, and I feel privileged to carry on the legacy to make our surrounding a better place to live. I would like to mention that while we all strive to excel and create wealth, giving back to society is equally important. This is because it is that same society that we make our own living with. I thank Mrs. Usha Kakade & Gravittus Foundation for honoring my work, my family, and our entire team, without whom this would not have been possible.”

Along with Yohan Poonawalla, eminent personalities like Farah Khan (Indian Film Director), Kedar Jadhav (Indian Cricketer), Rinku Rajguru (Marathi actress), Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar (Principal Director of Symbiosis Society), Dr. Urvi Jangam (Co-Founder and Executive Director - Aesthesis Foundation for Visually Impaired), Dr. Amita Phadnis, Akshay Bardapurkar, and Shri Popatrao Pawar were awarded at the event.

The fifth edition of the URJA Awards marked the attendance of celebrated dignitaries and personalities like Mrs. Amruta Fadnavis, Mrs. Sharmila Raj Thackeray, Mrs. Medha Kulkarni, Mrs. Roopali Chakankar and others who hailed from myriad walks of life.

Yohan Poonawalla is one of India’s leading industrialists and philanthropists. He is the Chairman and Director of various Poonawalla Group of companies such as Intervalve Poonawalla, Poonawalla Stud Farms, and Poonawalla Financials. The Poonawalla Group supports several Corporate Social Responsibility activities such as providing gainful employment to the Poona District Leprosy Committee since 1990 thus playing an important role in almost eradicating the disease, donating towards ‘Zavaray Poonawalla Cancer Building’ at the Ruby Hall Hospital, beautifying and maintaining ‘The Gool Poonawalla Garden’, sponsored and took active participation in the construction of the Soli Poonawalla Road in Hadapsar and promoting English medium education at the ‘Soli Poonawalla Memorial High School’. Yohan Poonawalla Foundation is committed to the well-being of our frontline officers and healthcare workers. The foundation supported Pune Police Force by donating another brand new Mahindra Boleros in appreciation of the commendable work during the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier in 2018, the Foundation added further strength to the Pune Police by sponsoring a new Bolero apart from requirements for oxygenators, vaccines, PPE kits, raincoats, etc. Of all the charitable initiatives done by the Poonawalla family, Healthcare and Education are close to Yohan Poonawalla’s heart. His continued support to Soli Poonawalla School in Hadapsar and Sant Gadge Maharaj School in Koregaon Park speaks volumes of his affection towards the needy and underprivileged children.