On 16th August 2020, The Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna received the 2020 Asia Game Changer Award from Asia Society, a United States based non-profit organisation for feeding millions of people across India amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, by coordinating a food distribution drive from Manhattan.
He is the only Indian among the six awardees who were recognised by the Asia Society.
Khanna’s food distribution drive:
i.Vikas Khanna launched the food distribution drive #FeedIndia which has distributed around 35 million meals, which includes cooked food and dry rations.
ii.He partnered with National Disaster Relief Force of India for logistics and on ground support.
iii.Various organisations and tech firms aided him and offered industrial kitchen space in Mumbai to support this movement.
iv.He has also provided over 500000 slippers, 3.5 sanitary pads, 2 million masks and other basic needs in more than 100 cities across India.
Asia Game Changer Award:
i.The Asia Game Changer Award was launched by the Asia Society in 2014 to identify and honour the individuals for their contribution to the future of Asia.
ii.The awards will be presented to the honourees over a virtual ceremony which will be held in October 2020 as a global virtual event hosted from New York.
iii.The virtual ceremony will feature the message of Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, performance of cellist Yo-Yo Ma and a feature to honour the frontliners of COVID-19 pandemic in US and Asia
Other Honourees:
i.Yo-Yo Ma – American cellist is honoured for his lifetime contribution to music and for his initiative #songsofcomfort amid pandemic.
ii.Naomi Osaka – Japanese-Haitian Tennis Champion is honoured for her using her global platform to call for racial justice and social change.
iii.BTS(Bangtan Sonyeondan) – Korean boy band, is honoured for their contribution towards inspiring global audience to stand aginst discrimination.
iv.Miky Lee – Producer of Oscar winning film “Parasite” is honoured for highlighting the economic inequality and for enhancing the profile of Asians on screen.
v.Joe Tsai & Clara Tsai – Business leaders and philanthropists are honoured for their life saving philanthropy amid covid pandemic.
Recent Related News:
i.Asian College of Journalism(ACJ) award 2019 was conferred upon Journalist Nitin Sethi for investigative journalism and K P Narayana Kumar Memorial Award 2019 for Social Impact Journalism is bestowed upon Journalist Shiv Sahay Singh.
ii.On May 11, 2020, Indian professional tennis player Sania Mirza (33) has created new history by becoming the 1st Indian to win Fed Cup Heart Award 2020 for Asia/Oceania zone.
About Asia Society:
President and CEO– Ambassador Josette Sheeran
Headquarters– New York, United States of America.
