Lalit Modi, Anupam Kher get Teacher's Achievement Awards

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Lalit Modi, the man behind the Indian Premier League cricket, and veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher were honoured with the Teacher's Achievement Awards at a star-studded function here.

While Modi got the Achievement of the Year Award, Kher was honoured Saturday night with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Maurya Sheraton hotel in the capital.

In his acceptance speech, actor Anupam Kher said it was too early for him to be feted with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

'When you talk of lifetime achievement awards, you usually think of an old man in a wheelchair in the fag end of his life, having devoted his life to years of hard work. I think I am too young for this award. The last 25 years of my life may have been hazy, but I will remember the next 25 years,' he said.

The awards, which entered its eighth year since its inception in 2001, included fashion on its list for the first time. And Manish Arora was voted the best fashion designer of the year.

Other winners included industrialist Sanjeev Bhikchandani in the business section, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra for sports and Sunidhi Chauhan in music.

The ceremony was hosted by Bollywood actor Rahul Khanna and Manasi Scott.

The jury, which screened the nominees on a set a stringent parameters, comprised the likes of musician Louis Banks, Amjad Ali Khan, Ritu Kumar, Sayeda Imam, J.J. Vallya, Ayaz Memon, Micheal Ferreira and Jagjit Singh.

Some eminent winners of the earlier years include filmmaker Karan Johar, playwright Mahesh Dattani, ace shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Raj Kumar Hirani, adman Prasoon Joshi and singer Jagjit Singh.

The Teacher's Achievement Awards are a joint partnership between Beam Global Spirits and Wine, which distributes Teacher's Whiskey in India and reputed audit firm KPMG.