The recently concluded TV9 Bangla Nakshatra Samman event in Kolkata highlighted inspiring stories of achievement and resilience, further strengthening its position as one of TV9 Bangla’s flagship properties. Over the years, Nakshatra Samman has evolved into a distinguished honour across the TV9 Network.

This year, according to a press release from TV9 Group, nine exceptional Nakshatras (shining stars) were felicitated for their remarkable contributions across diverse fields.

Nakshatra Samman continues to earn recognition as a newsmaker, and this year too, Nakshatra Samman’s Lifetime Achievement Award named acclaimed tennis player, Leander Paes, and was recognised for his illustrious career spanning over three decades, including multiple Grand Slam victories.

Others honoured included Anuparna Roy, renowned filmmaker whose debut feature ‘Songs of the Forgotten Trees’ earned global recognition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival under the Orizzonti (Horizon) section; Dhriti Banerjee, the first woman Director of the Zoological Survey of India, who etched a historic milestone in the institution’s 110-year legacy; Bharat Sevashram Sangha that has offered humanitarian efforts during crises such as Cyclone Aila and the COVID-19.

Among social changemakers, Binoy Das, Sukumar Sana, Pipasha Haldar deserve mention.

Barun Das, MD & CEO of TV9 Network, said in a statement, “A day after India, as part of the British Empire, joined the First World War on August 4, 1914, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore delivered a lecture to his students in Shantiniketan some 100 years ago. The lecture was titled ‘Ma ma hinsi’ (मा मा हिंसी), which is a Vedic injunction, meaning ‘Do not harm, do not commit violence’. More than a hundred years later, it is evident that humanity has learnt little.

“History has proved time and again the futility and moral bankruptcy of violence and war, where both sides lose. Still, we’ve seen the Russia-Ukraine war at first, then the tariff war, and now the Iran-Israel war in West Asia.  I feel forgetting Tagore’s preaching of ‘Ma ma hinsi’, we are reminded of how the world is turning into a battlefield inspired by Satyajit Ray’s film, ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’. The effect of war has disturbed the peace and prosperity of our own people across the world.”

On receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, , Paes said, “Today I am feeling good that TV9 Bangla has honoured me. I would like to thank TV9 Bangla. My great-great-grandfather, Michael Madhusudan Dutta, would have been very proud today for the work that TV9 Bangla has done to honour the great Bengalis that we have.

“I was watching the great achievers here. In Bengal, we are so rich culturally. We need to celebrate these cultures more. We need to celebrate our Bengali heritage. Right here, sharing the stage with me is one of my favourite female athletes in the world, Jhulan Goswami (Indian former cricketer). To me, she is a great star of Bengal. Every time she steps out into the world, she represents our great State of Bengal. Once again, I want to bow my head with thanks and gratitude. Thank you for inspiring me every day, TV9 Bangla.”

Nakshatra Samman has always been a pathbreaker in terms of award ceremonies. Identifying true leaders, who have passionately and selflessly devoted themselves to building a better society and for this, TV9 Bangla Nakshatra Samman leaves no stone unturned to recognize people’s true achievements, the press release said.