'Giant Chilli Lady' wins award

SINGAPORE - Famously known as the "Giant Chilli Lady", Singaporean artist Kumari Nahappan is one of the six recipients of the first Singapore Indian Icon Award.

Themed "Camera. Catwalk. Canvas. - Showcasing the Creative Essence of India", the awards will honour the talents who gave India global recognition through Bollywood, art and fashion. Organised by Act for Hope, the gala award ceremony will be held at St Regis Ballroom on Aug 24.

Ms Nahappan and Mr Vibhor Sogani were selected for their contributions to art and installations across Europe, US and Asia. They receive this award in the Art category for showcasing the rich talent of contemporary Indian artists.

Ms Nahappan said she was very thrilled and pleasantly surprised at being nominated.

"India is such a big country with so much talent, and for me to get chosen from this little red dot is such an honour. I want to accept this on behalf of all our Singapore artists, and this recognition is really an acknowledgment of our shared heritage," she said.

Designers Anamika Khanna and Gaurav Gupta are the winners in the Fashion category sponsored by Outback Steak House. The winners for the Bollywood category, presented by Yes Bank, will be announced at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Act for Hope founder Prerna Jhunjhunwala said: "Camera. Catwalk. Canvas is a platform to acknowledge the best talent in Indian film, art and fashion. The event is about weaving the Indian culture into the South-east Asian landscape. In the course of the evening we will be celebrating our successes as Indians and at the same time use this moment as an opportunity to raise awareness about social causes that pose a challenge to Indian society."

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