Trust, Prestige & Leadership

Distinguished Jury Panel

Justice B. R. Gavai

Former Chief Justice of India

Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar

Renowned Scientist & Innovation Leader

Vaishali Samant

Singer, Composer & Lyricist

Prafulla Marpakwar

Political Editor & Senior Journalist

Detailed Profiles

Justice B. R. Gavai

Former Chief Justice of India

Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai served as the 52nd Chief Justice of India from May to November 2025. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India in May 2019, after a distinguished career at the Bombay High Court, where he served as a judge from 2003 to 2019. During his tenure in the judiciary, Justice Gavai dealt with a wide range of matters including constitutional and administrative law, civil and criminal law, commercial disputes, arbitration, education and environmental issues. He was part of several Constitution Benches and authored around 300 judgments, including significant decisions concerning upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the fundamental rights, human rights and legal rights of citizens. He has also delivered lectures on constitutional and environmental issues at leading universities and institutions in India and abroad, including Columbia University and Harvard University. He attended various international conferences at Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), New York (U.S.A), Cardiff (U.K.) and Nairobi (Kenya).

Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar

Renowned Scientist & Innovation Leader

Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar is a globally recognised scientist, chemical engineer and innovation leader, and former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. He led CSIR, comprising 38 laboratories, for more than eleven years and played a major role in transforming India's scientific research and innovation ecosystem. He previously served as Director of the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, where he helped orient research towards globally competitive technologies and international patenting. His pioneering research contributions are particularly associated with polymer science and engineering, while his leadership has had a significant influence on India's science, technology and innovation policies. Dr Mashelkar has served as President of the Indian National Science Academy and Chairman of the National Innovation Foundation, among several other national and international roles. He is a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and has been elected Fellow of several prestigious scientific and engineering academies around the world.

Vaishali Samant

Singer, Composer & Lyricist

Vaishali Samant is an accomplished Indian playback singer, music composer and lyricist, widely recognised for her extensive contribution to Marathi music and cinema. Over the course of her career, she has recorded more than 2,000 Marathi songs and has also worked across Hindi and several other Indian-language music industries. She has collaborated with leading music composers and artists and has lent her voice to films including Taal, Lagaan, Saathiya and several Marathi productions. Her widely recognised independent hit “Aika Dajiba” established her as a distinctive voice in Marathi popular music, while her work as a composer and lyricist has further established her versatility as a complete artist. Vaishali has also served as a judge on television singing competitions and continues to contribute to the Marathi music industry through playback singing, composition and songwriting. Her work has earned recognition within the Indian music fraternity, including awards and nominations for her contributions as a singer and lyricist.

Prafulla Marpakwar

Political Editor & Senior Journalist

Prafulla Marpakwar is a veteran journalist whose career spans over four decades across leading publications including Hitavada, Nagpur Times, Indian Express, and The Times of India. He has reported extensively on Maharashtra's political affairs and has written on subjects ranging from state and local elections to government policy, political parties, public institutions and matters of significant public interest. Known for his fearless investigative reporting, Marpakwar has consistently delivered impact-oriented journalism that compelled governments to act. His celebrated column Public Eye became a powerful platform for exposing corruption, scams, and misuse of authority. Marpakwar’s landmark investigations include the Adarsh housing scam that led to a Chief Minister’s resignation and exposes on profiteering in heart stent pricing that forced government intervention. His reporting on Sanjay Dutt’s hospital stay during the Mumbai blasts case resulted in systemic reforms in prisoner medical admissions. He also played a pivotal role in uncovering the Enron power contract controversy and the Kini murder case, standing firm despite threats and intimidation.

Founder & President - GMA

Message from the President

Read President's Message