INDIA'S TOP TWO STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NAMED IN 5th ANNUAL PRAMERICA SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS

Programme has reached out to over 13,000 children. 385+ students have been recognized for their community service efforts

Renowned author, Chetan Bhagat cheered the finalists from across the country

New Delhi - The 5th annual Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards felicitated 90 school students from Classes VI to XII from across the country for their extraordinary efforts in the area of community service at a ceremony in New Delhi. These finalists were shortlisted from over 5,000 applications received in a nationwide search for the country's top student volunteers. Renowned author, columnist and motivational speaker Mr. Chetan Bhagat was the Chief Guest at the event.

The prestigious awards programme organized by DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (DPLI) is the India chapter of the Spirit of Community Awards, the largest youth recognition programme in the United States based exclusively on volunteer service. Introduced in 1995 by Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), DPLI's international Joint Venture partner, the U.S. programme has seen participation from nearly 370,000 school students and more than 100,000 of them have been officially recognized for their meaningful contribution towards their communities. India is the 6th country outside the United States to conduct the Awards programme. Other participating countries include PFI subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland and China.

The top honours in the Individual Category went to Rishabh Arora a Class XII student of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, for his innovative project 'Trash to Treasure' that utilizes urban household trash to bring about a positive change in people's lives and Nitish Sahni, a Class VIII student of Shri Ram School Aravali, Gurgaon, for raising funds and comforting the sick, especially underprivileged children being treated for cancer and people with disabilities. Both the winners were presented with gold medallions, certificate of excellence and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each, and a return trip to Washington, D.C. in May 2015. While in Washington, D.C., they will represent India in the felicitation ceremonies for Spirit of Community Award winners from all participating countries.

The two national winners were selected by an eminent jury panel comprising Ms. Nalini Singh, Anchor & Journalist, Ms. Gowri Ishwaran, Chief Executive Officer and Ms. Dinu Raheja, Programme Director - The Global Education & Leadership Foundation, Mr. Neil Wilson, Chief Operating Officer - PwC India, Ms. Meenakshi Gupta, Co-Founder - Goonj and Ms. Meenakshi Batra, Chief Executive Officer - Charities Aid Foundation, India.

The jury also selected a group of 5 students of Class IX from Govt. Jain Gurukul Senior Secondary School - Beawar Rajasthan, as the winner in the Group Category for being actively involved in promoting biodiversity education and conservation by educating people on the harmful effects of the practice of Aida.They were presented with gold medallions, certificate of excellence and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 to be shared among them. 14 other well deserving finalists in the Individual Category and 2 more in the Group Category received Certificates of Achievement and Silver medallions.

Addressing the finalists at the awards ceremony, Mr. Anoop Pabby, MD & CEO, DPLI said, "Through the Spirit of Community Awards, we aim to identify and acknowledge the outstanding work of the young generation in the country who have innovated and toiled for the development and improvement of their society. With their altruistic and generous acts of service these students have positively impacted many lives in their communities. It is important to highlight these examples of extraordinary community service so that many more are inspired to follow them.

Over the last 4 years, we have reached out to approx. 1, 15,000 students across the country. Through this initiative we hope to encourage other youngsters to encourage them to work on helping the community and create awareness on environmental protection."

Introduced in 2010 in India, the 'Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards' is an annual nationwide search to identify and recognize school students who have made a positive difference in their communities through voluntary community service. Till date, over 13,000 children have participated in this initiative by sending in their applications and of them, 385+ students have been recognized for their community service efforts.

The national recognition events for Spirit of Community Awards winners held in Washington, D.C. every year include gala award ceremonies at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, tours of the capital's historic monuments and landmarks, a festive dinner cruise on the Potomac River, and plenty of opportunity for the students to share their experiences and ideas with one another. The winners also hear from notable public figures, which in the past have included Jimmy Carter, Barbara Bush, Whoopi Goldberg, Colin Powell, Sarah Ferguson (the Duchess of York), Laura Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Ian Manning and Kevin Spacey.

About DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance (DPLI)

DPLI is a joint venture between Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (DHFL), India's second largest private sector housing finance company and Prudential International Insurance Holdings, Ltd. (PIIH), a fully owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), a financial services leader headquartered in the U.S. DPLI represents the coming together of two renowned financial services organizations with a legacy of business excellence spread over decades. The life insurance joint venture agreement between the two partners was signed in July 2013.

DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance, which was earlier known as DLF Pramerica Life Insurance started operations in India on September 01, 2008 and has a pan India presence through multiple distribution channels which have been customized to address the specific insurance needs of diverse customer segments. The Company is committed to providing protection and quality financial advice to its customers. For further details on the Company, please visit www.dhflpramerica.com

About DHFL

DHFL was founded in 1984 by Late Shri Rajesh Kumar Wadhawan with a vision to provide financial access to the lower and middle income segments of the society. Today, led by Mr. Kapil Wadhawan, CMD, DHFL, the Company is one of India's leading mortgage finance institutions with presence in over 450 locations across the country, in addition to representative offices in Dubai and London.

All through its years of growth, DHFL has stayed with its core vision of financial inclusion. The Company's wide network, coupled with insights into local customer needs has enabled the Company to provide meaningful financial access to customers even in India's smallest towns. With a strong business foundation, an extensive distribution network, proven industry expertise and a deep understanding of the Indian customer, DHFL is one of India's largest financial services companies. For further details, please visit www.dhfl.com

About PFI

Pramerica^* is a trade name used by Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), a company incorporated and with its principal place of business in the United States, and its affiliated companies in select countries outside the United States. PFI (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with more than ,1.176 trillion of assets under management as of December 31st 2014, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. PFI’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., PFI's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential plc, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.

^*Pramerica and the Rock Logo are proprietary servicemarks and may not be used without the permission of the owner.