• The awards spotlight health warriors who have won battles against grave conditions
• The awards highlight little known brands that stand for the health of the earth

Mumbai : The 2nd Restore Awards felicitated both individuals and brands at an awards ceremony at the ITC Maratha in Mumbai. The awards were instituted in 2020 to honor health warriors, people who have healed themselves and aided in the healing of others. The key winners this year overcame depression, chronic illnesses, and set up communities to help others. The awards also celebrate companies that have pioneered products and services that prioritize the health of people and planet.

Dr Taruna Madan Gupta, Scientist, ICMR, a jury member of the awards said, “As member of the jury, it was an overwhelming experience to know how personal pain and trauma for fellow beings, is transforming ordinary souls to brave warriors healing themselves and millions of others. Kudos to these true heroes, who motivate many to walk this path of holistic healing”.

The jury consisted of eminent professionals from the public and private healthcare domain. These included: Ratan Jalan, former CEO, Apollo Hospitals; Dr Taruna Madan Gupta, head, department of innate immunity, ICMR; and Subrata Dutta, group managing director, Organic India; amongst others. “Preventive and Promotive Healthcare is the crying need,” emphasised Ratan Jalan. “Healthcare can’t continue to be ‘treating the sick’. The vision to identify and recognise the torchbearers is truly commendable and should inspire many others to follow this path.”

The awards are annually organized by RachnaRestoresTM, an organization working in the area of physical, mental, and emotional healing since 2008. The process included an online application for submitting entries. There were 1118 entries received, 122 shortlisted and only 11 winners. The forms were compiled by the team of health experts at RachnaRestores, before putting them to the 6-member strong jury. There is no entry fee for the awards and the awards are a non-profit effort. The awards were presented by Savlon.

“The journey from warrior to healer is a difficult one. We were clear, we wanted to truly give selfless warriors, healers and doctors working tirelessly during the pandemic a fair and just platform to get applauded for their work,” said Rachna Chhachhi, Cancer Nutrition Expert and Founder, RachnaRestores. Rachna herself was bedridden 15 years ago with rheumatoid arthritis, and she healed herself with holistic nutrition before setting up RachnaRestores.

One of the winners, Navya Singh, 23, from Singapore, lost her ability to dance due to a rare disease called Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD). She then battled depression and came out of it and set up Wheelchair choreography to empower herself and others to experience the joy of dancing. Each one of the winners have a traumatic back story that they converted to positivity.

The winners are:

Health Innovator of the Year: Pallavi Barnwal, who works in the space of sexual wellness, and is a certified sexuality and intimacy coach

Health messenger: Amrita Saraf, who reaches out to new moms offering maternal mental health support through her social media handles and her blog Momuninterrupted.com

Pioneering Health Enterprise: Paddling Foundation, a non-profit organization that creates menstrual hygiene awareness, with the aim of education around menstruation, eradication of myths and taboos, and emancipation from fear, shame, and stigma

Pandemic Medical Warrior: Dr Samana Sayed, who has treated 8,000+ patients for free from April 2020 to date through online and live consultations to make healthcare accessible during the pandemic

Healing Home Chef: Harsh Kedia, who works in the area of food for those who live with diabetes

Health Warrior Beyond Limits: Neha Sahu, who runs awareness drives and leads a community of women with PCOS via her social media handles and blog Pcosschool.com

Sustainable Product – Lifestyle: Ashwini Shinde and Yogesh Shinde, who as founders of Bamboo India have led the way for the universal adoption of bamboo-based products in daily life

Sustainability Vision – Organization: Meals of Happiness, a non-profit founded by Anchal & Kapil Mandwewala that serves nutritious food to the less privileged, having offered 20 lakh hot meals and dry ration kits across the nation during the pandemic.

Healer Beyond Boundaries: Dr Farah Adam Mukadam, who is committed to helping new mothers have better postpartum experiences and help them in their breastfeeding journeys.

RachnaRestores was founded by Rachna Chhachhi, a holistic nutrition counsellor, certified cancer coach, author, and speaker, who healed herself of an autoimmune disease. She now leads a team of healers who work with individuals and groups to guide people in their journey back to health.