MUMBAI: Eternal Dreams managing director Sapna Chaturvedi was recently awarded The Rastriya Rattan Award for her "outstanding achievement in the field of education." The award, instituted by the Global Economic Council, comes in recognition of her efforts to spread education via television. Chaturvedi initiated the unique concept of 'Shlok Distant Education" on the Eternal Dreams managed Tara Marathi channel, in association with the Indian Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai.

The award, presented on 19 August, cites Chaturvedi's efforts to popularise distance education through certificate courses in cookery, baking, housekeeping , Food and Beverage and Customer Relations to students who are are required to watch the programme and appear for an examination on the completion of the course. The examinations are held at the specially designated centres in Mumbai, Pune and Goa .

The Global Economic Council awards, instituted in the memory of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, are presented every year to about 40 people from the country for a select band of achievers in the field of industry, business, public life, administration , social ,educational services and culture. Sapna Chaturvedi, claims Eternal Dreams, is one of the youngest awardees this year.