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Terms & Conditions.

The rules that apply to nominations, participation in Topnotch Foundation award ceremonies, payments, guests, media coverage and the use of this website.

In effect sinceLast updated

In short
  • We never charge for an award. Recognition is decided by research and cannot be bought.
  • The participation (arrangement) fee pays for the ceremony: venue, trophy, food, stage, production and other arrangements.
  • All payments are non-refundable, because every arrangement is paid for in advance.
  • Political guests and dignitaries attend subject to their official duties and may change or not attend, even after confirmation.

1About these terms

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") apply to everyone who uses this website, submits a nomination, accepts an award confirmation, pays a participation fee, sponsors or attends an event organised by TOPNOTCH FOUNDATION ("Topnotch Foundation", "we", "us", "our").

By submitting a nomination, accepting a confirmation letter, making a payment or attending an event, you confirm that you have read and agree to these Terms, our Privacy Policy and our Refund Policy. If you are acting for an organisation, you confirm that you are authorised to accept these Terms on its behalf.

2Meaning of words used

  • Nominee: the person or organisation nominated for an award.
  • Awardee: a nominee whose selection has been confirmed by us in writing.
  • Participant: an awardee, its representatives and guests attending an event.
  • Event: any award ceremony, summit or related programme organised by us.
  • Participation fee (also called the arrangement fee): the amount payable to take part in an event, as stated in the confirmation letter or invoice.
  • Confirmation letter: our written confirmation of selection, category, event details and the participation fee, sent by email or post.

3No payment is ever taken for an award

Topnotch Foundation does not sell awards. There is no charge to submit a nomination, and no payment can influence the evaluation, the shortlisting or the final selection of awardees. Awardees are selected by our research team on merit, against the benchmarks of each category.

The participation fee is charged only for the arrangements needed to host the awardee at the ceremony — it is not a price for the award. If anyone asks you for money in exchange for an award or claims they can influence the result, please report it to us immediately at [email protected].

4Nominations and evaluation

  • Nominations must be submitted through our nomination form or in the manner we specify, before the closing date of the edition.
  • All information and documents you submit must be true, complete and not misleading, and you must have the right to share them.
  • Our research team may verify the information, ask for supporting documents and use publicly available sources.
  • We may move a nomination to a more suitable category, hold it for a later edition, or decline it, without giving reasons.
  • The decision of our research and jury team on selection is final and binding. We do not enter into correspondence about the evaluation of other nominees.
  • If information is later found to be false or misleading, we may withdraw the selection or the award, even after the ceremony, and any payment made will not be refunded.

5Confirmation of selection

Selection is confirmed only by a confirmation letter from Topnotch Foundation. Phone calls, messages or conversations are not a confirmation. The confirmation letter states the award title, category, event, date, venue, the number of passes included and the participation fee.

Your place at the event is reserved once the participation fee has been received in full by the due date in the confirmation letter or invoice.

6What the participation fee covers

The participation fee is a contribution towards the cost of hosting the ceremony and the awardee. It covers arrangements such as:

  • the venue or hotel booking for the event;
  • the trophy, certificate and their engraving and printing;
  • food, beverages and hospitality for the passes included;
  • stage, sound, lights, screens and event production;
  • photography and videography of the ceremony;
  • the awards souvenir, branding and printed material;
  • media and telecast coordination, guest management and staff.

Anything not listed in your confirmation letter — such as extra passes, accommodation, travel, extra trophies or sponsorship benefits — is not included and may be charged separately.

7Payment terms

  • The participation fee must be paid in full and in advance by the due date in the confirmation letter or invoice.
  • GST and any other applicable taxes are charged extra as shown on the invoice.
  • Payments must be made only by bank transfer, cheque or another method we name in writing, to the official bank account of Topnotch Foundation shown on our invoice. Never pay cash or pay into the personal account of any individual. We are not responsible for payments made to anyone else.
  • If a payment is not received by the due date, we may release the reserved place, the seats and the arrangements to another awardee.
  • Bank charges and transfer fees on your side are borne by you.
  • A tax invoice is issued against each payment.

8No refunds

Because we pay in advance for every arrangement — the venue, trophy, food, production and other services — all payments are non-refundable. Please read our Refund Policy for the full list of situations, including cancellation by the participant, non-attendance and changes in guests.

9Chief guests, dignitaries and celebrities

  • Chief guests, guests of honour, ministers, members of parliament or legislatures, government officials and other political dignitaries are invited in their personal capacity. Their attendance is always subject to their official and public duties. Even when a dignitary has confirmed, they may change their plans, arrive late, leave early, send a representative or not attend at all — sometimes at the last minute.
  • There is no guarantee of the attendance of any political guest or dignitary. Names announced in invitations, posters, the website or social media reflect the confirmations available at that time.
  • Film, television and entertainment personalities who appear at our ceremonies attend under an arrangement with us. If one is unable to attend for reasons beyond our control, such as illness, travel disruption or an emergency, we will try to arrange a replacement of similar standing, but this cannot be guaranteed.
  • We do not guarantee who will present an award to a particular awardee, or a photograph with a particular guest.
  • A change in, delay of or absence of any guest is not a reason to cancel participation and does not entitle anyone to a refund, discount or compensation.

10Changes to the event

  • We may change the date, time, venue, programme, running order, seating or format of an event when needed. We will inform participants of significant changes as early as possible.
  • If an event is postponed, your payment and confirmation are carried forward to the new date.
  • If you cannot attend the new date, the payment is not refunded, but you may ask us in writing to carry it forward to the next edition of the same award, which we may agree to at our discretion.
  • Seating and table allocation are decided by us based on protocol and the event layout.

11Attending the event

  • Entry is only with a valid invitation or pass, up to the number of passes included in your confirmation. Passes are not transferable outside your organisation without our approval.
  • Please carry a government photo ID; the venue and security agencies may check it, especially when dignitaries are present.
  • Please arrive by the reporting time in your invitation. Late arrival may mean you miss your award moment on stage; in that case the trophy and certificate will be handed over to you after the ceremony.
  • Participants must follow the instructions of our team, the venue and security personnel, and behave respectfully towards other guests.
  • We may refuse entry to, or remove, anyone who behaves in a disorderly or unsafe way, is intoxicated or breaks the rules of the venue, without any refund.
  • You are responsible for your personal belongings at the venue.

12Photography, video and telecast

  • Events are photographed, filmed and may be streamed or telecast. By attending, you agree to appear in this material and to its use by us and our media partners for coverage and publicity, without payment.
  • Television channels and media partners decide on the editing, length and timing of their coverage. We do not guarantee that any particular awardee, speech or moment will be included in a telecast or article.
  • Photographs and videos taken by our team remain our property. Awardees may use photos and videos of their own award moment to promote their recognition.

13Using the award title and our name

  • Awardees may mention their award in their marketing, website, social media and press releases, with the full award title, category and year — for example, "Winner, [category], [award name] [year], presented by Topnotch Foundation".
  • The award must not be presented in a misleading way, for example by changing the category, the year or the wording, or by suggesting a government award.
  • Our name, logo and award logos are our property and may be used only in connection with the award actually received.
  • We may withdraw the right to use the award if it is misused or if the selection is withdrawn under section 4.

14Trophy and certificate details

The names, designations and organisation names printed on the trophy and certificate are taken from your nomination and confirmation. Please check them carefully when we share them for approval. If a correction is requested after production has started, a reprint may be charged at cost.

16Use of this website

  • The content of this website — text, photos, videos, logos and design — belongs to Topnotch Foundation or its partners and may not be copied, republished or used commercially without our written permission, except for sharing links.
  • You must not misuse the website, for example by sending spam through the forms, uploading harmful files, trying to gain unauthorised access or collecting information from it automatically.
  • We try to keep the information on the website accurate and up to date, but event details may change. The confirmation letter and the invitation are the final source of event information.
  • Links to other websites are provided for convenience; we are not responsible for their content.

17Limitation of liability

  • We are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, loss of business, loss of profit or reputation arising from a nomination, a decision on selection, participation in an event or the use of this website.
  • We are not responsible for loss of or damage to personal belongings, or for travel and accommodation costs of participants.
  • Our total liability to any person in connection with an event is limited to the participation fee paid by that person for that event.
  • Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited under Indian law.

18Your responsibility

You agree to indemnify Topnotch Foundation against any claim, loss or cost arising from false or misleading information you submit, material you provide that infringes the rights of others, or your conduct at an event.

19Events beyond our control

We are not responsible for any delay, change, postponement or cancellation caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, epidemics, government orders or restrictions, elections and model codes of conduct, security alerts, protests, strikes, transport disruptions, power or venue failures and the official duties of dignitaries. In such cases payments are not refunded; where possible the event is rescheduled and payments carried forward.

20Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any dispute should first be raised with us in writing so that we can try to resolve it amicably. Disputes that cannot be resolved this way are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), Uttar Pradesh.

21Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The version on this page on the date of your payment applies to your participation. The date at the top of this page shows when the Terms were last changed.

22Contact

For questions about these Terms, or to raise a complaint, contact Mr. Sumit Singh:

FAQ

Common questions.

Anything else? Write to [email protected] or call +91-7678491100.

Does Topnotch Foundation charge for awards?

No. Topnotch Foundation never charges for an award, and no payment can influence selection. Awardees are selected by research. The participation fee pays only for the arrangements of the ceremony, such as the venue, trophy, food and production.

Is the attendance of political chief guests guaranteed?

No. Ministers, political leaders and officials attend subject to their official duties and may change their plans or not attend, even after confirming. A change or absence of any guest does not entitle anyone to a refund.

How should I pay the participation fee?

Only by bank transfer or cheque to the official Topnotch Foundation bank account shown on the invoice, in full and in advance by the due date. Never pay cash or into a personal account.

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