Mangaluru : ‘Rachana awards 2014’ conferred to five achievers, from agriculturists to entrepreneurs, received the ‘Rachana’ awards, instituted by the Catholic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, here on Sunday November 16 at Milagres Jubilee hall.

Jeanette Pinto, a retired educationist and professor of history, received the ‘Outstanding Woman of the Year’ award. According to a release, over a long long academic career she has also authored ‘Indian Widow- from Victim to Victor’.

The ‘Agriculturist of the Year’ award went to retired forest official Gabrial Stany Veigas, for his experiments with sustainable farming on his 37-acre farm where he cultivates coconut, mango, rambutan, cashew, jackfruit and breadfruit.

Raphael Sequeira, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur who runs a host of diversified companies that deal with garment export, real estate and information technology, got the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award.

The ‘Professional of the Year’ award went to Anil Kieth D’Cruz, an oncologist, for his distinguished medical career as well as research into cancer. Oman-based Ligoury D’Mello was adjudged the ‘NRI entrepreneur of the Year’ for successfully running a engineering solutions company in the oil and gas sector in Oman.

Secretary Anil Lobo, Stany Alvares convener, joint secretary Raymond D’Cunha, treasurer Nelson Monteiro, Roy Castelino, president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and other governing body members, Louis J Pinto, Dr Errol Pinto, Brain Fernandes, Paul Moras, Dr Norman Mendonca and Juliet Mascarenhas and others were present during the programme.