Jury Announcement for Born To Shine

Clockwise from top: Rupak Mehta, Founder, Brahmnaad Cultural Society; Samara Mahindra, Founder & CEO, CARER; Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment; Dr. Bindu Subramaniam, Co-Founder & CEO, Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa); Zarina Screwvala, Managing Trustee & Director, Swades Foundation

Born To Shine, a CSR initiative of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL), in association with GiveIndia, recently announced its panel of 5 judges.

Mumbai, November 3: Born To Shine, a CSR initiative of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL), in association with GiveIndia, announced its panel of 5 judges to identify the top 30 girl child prodigies. The esteemed judges, who have done pathbreaking work in their respective fields, are:

• Punit Goenka, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited
• Zarina Screwvala, Managing Trustee & Director, Swades Foundation
• Bindu Subramaniam, Co-Founder & CEO, Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa) 
• Samara Mahindra, Founder & CEO, CARER 
• Rupak Mehta, Founder, Brahmnaad Cultural Society

Mr. Umesh Kr. Bansal, Sr. Executive Vice President, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, adds, “I am incredibly grateful to the jury for their belief in the vision of Born To Shine. Every jury member is a stalwart in their field, and their coming together is a landmark moment for everyone at Born To Shine. The kids have shown great talent and promise, and I am confident that they will learn and imbibe invaluable lessons from the esteemed panel of judges.”

For Punit Goenka, MD and CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, this journey with Born To Shine has been a very enriching one. One of the pillars of this initiative, he has seen the scholarship program transform from a noble and novel idea to a tide of hope for a number of girls in the country.

The experience and expertise of the jury members cover a gamut of fields. The program is a manifestation of their personal beliefs and ideals that will ensure a culture that empowers each prodigy to be their highest self and work toward their goals.

“I think talent is prevalent everywhere, and what children need are opportunities. Born To Shine is a great initiative to find and mentor talent from underserved communities, which is something that SaPa and I have always felt is important. I’m grateful to be able to contribute to this project and can’t wait to meet the talent that is out there.“, says Dr. Bindu Subramaniam, Co-Founder & CEO, Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa).

Samara Mahindra, Founder & CEO, CARER, believes that “Indian culture is one of the oldest in the world and can be traced back to prehistoric settlements as early as the 3rd millennium. Programs like these, which encourage the youth, are imperative to give the fine arts system the importance it deserves. Additionally, it’s essential to help stay connected with our roots and take pride in doing so.”

Delivering an impact that will last a lifetime is impossible without adequate guidance and mentorship. With its panel of jury members poised to shortlist the talents, Born To Shine is all set to identify its top 30 prodigies who will be awarded a scholarship of Rs. 4,00,000 each and a 30-month mentorship program to continue their aspirations.   

About Born To Shine:

Born To Shine is a CSR initiative of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), India’s largest entertainment conglomerate, in association with GiveIndia, India’s largest and most trusted giving platform. The scholarship program received more than 5000 eligible applications across the country, and the shortlisted candidates were auditioned in 8 cities. The program aims to nurture girl prodigies and encourage them to continue their talent by providing a holistic and integrated development approach.