Amdavad’s Madhish Parikh has been conferred with the UK-based Points of Light meritorious recognition for his foundation’s crusade in helping the needy during the pandemic.
With community service his raison d’etre, Amdavadi Madhish Parikh never needed any crisis to set up “Elixir Foundation” in 2015. The 32-year-old spearheads this socially conscious group of young volunteers and Presidential Awardees to reach out to the needy. Today, the NGO has grown to include more than 2,500 volunteers who have helped over 100,000 disadvantaged people in India. In addition, Madhish started a nationwide campaign during the pandemic and raised £710,000 to feed almost 36,000 people, give frontline workers 7,500 PPE kits, 115 oxygen cylinders and 5,000 medicine kits.
Points of Light celebrates individual volunteers who are bringing about a change in their neighbourhood. Over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised in the US since they were first established in 1990 by President George Bush. UK Points of Light was created in collaboration with the US initiative and debuted in April 2014.
As head of the Commonwealth, The Queen took it a step further to recognise deserving volunteers from all 54 Commonwealth countries for the positive impact they bear within and beyond their communities.
“It is a great honour to be nominated for this award. My team has finally been appreciated for their unrelenting efforts during the pandemic. I am truly honoured and grateful for the recognition,” shared a jubilant Madhish, adding that a youth-powered demographic can solve the world’s most critical of challenges.
Congratulating him on the award, Jan Thompson CMG OBE, Acting British High Commissioner to India, noted: “He has been recognised for his leadership and activism on key issues of climate change, gender equality, cultural heritage and most notably his efforts to communicate good practice during the covid pandemic.”
On the same note, the British Consul General in Ahmedabad, Peter Cook stated: “Delighted to see this recognition for Madhish. His group has lent support to many important social causes and we are proud to have worked on some of these with Elixir Foundation.”
Also read: Madhish Parikh From Gujarat Invited For International Prize In Russia For His Community Services
