THE PRESIDENT TO CONFER GANDHI
PEACE PRIZE ON BHARATIYA
VIDYA BHAVAN
The President, Shri
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will confer the Gandhi Peace Prize for the
year 2002 on Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan for propagating gandhian
philosophy and values in a function at Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati
Bhawan. The prestigious award carries Rs. 1 crore in cash and
a citation.
Established in the
year 1938 by Dr. K.M. Munshi with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi
and with the support of several stalwarts of India’s freedom movements,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has made significant contribution towards
the spread of education, integration of the best of ancient and
modern values and promotion of peace and harmony among all faiths
and communities through its over 100 centres in India and seven
overseas, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan brings out a vast range of publications
on philosophy, indology, scriptures, modern life and Gandhian
thinking. Its journals in English, Hindi and Gujarati are devoted
to life, literature and culture and promotion of Inter Faith Harmony.
Through its Gandhi Centre for Science and Human values, it has
taken up the exemplary task of publishing small books at affordable
price on issues relating to the development of human values. Through
its Gandhi Institute of Computer Education & Information Technology
it imparts free computer education and unemployed youth belonging
to the weaker sections of society.
The decision regarding
the awardee was taken by the jury headed by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Other jury members include leader of opposition in Lok Sabha,
the Chief Justice of India, Shri R.Venkatraman, former President
of India and Shri I.K.Gujral, former Prime Minister of India.
Previously the award
has been conferred to Dr.Julius K.Nyerere, Former President of
Tanzania, Dr.A.T.Ariyaratne, Founder President of Sarvodaya Movement
in Sri Lanka, Dr.Grehard Fischer (Federal Republic of Germany),
Ramakrishna Mission (India), Baba Amte, Dr.Nelson Mandela, Former
President of South Africa, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh and Mr.John
Hume (Ireland).
