The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation honored awardees for 2015 on the occasion of the 38th Jamnalal Bajaj Awards. The four awardees were felicitated by renowned historian, biographer & peace builder – Professor Rajmohan Gandhi in the presence of Mr. Rahul Bajaj Chairman, Board of Trustees and Justice C.S Dharmadhikari (Retd.), Chairman, Council of Advisors of the Foundation.
The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation awards continues to serve the ideals to which Shri Jamnalal Bajaj had dedicated his life and promotes the constructive Gandhian endeavors, in which he was deeply rooted throughout his lifetime.
Each award carries a citation, a Trophy and a Cash Prize of Rs. 10,00,000 /- (for the International Award, the Cash Prize is paid in equivalent foreign exchange).
Mr. Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation speaking at the occasion said, “The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards were institutionalized nearly four decades back to recognize and honor the real life heroes, who have committed their lives in embracing Gandhian values. It is a fulfilling moment for us to be graced by the presence of respected historian and peace builder Shri Rajmohan Gandhi. We are happy that he chose to commemorate the individuals who have demonstrated extra ordinary and selfless efforts towards enhancing and transforming the lives of communities, following the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Shri Jamnalal Bajaj. The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation award winners are worthy of this recognition given their enduring efforts towards bringing about social and economic enhancement in the lives of people. These winners are a true inspiration to the world with their relentless and unwavering commitment towards being catalyst for social change.”
About the Winners
Shri. Man Singh Rawat is a staunch Sarvodaya Sevak who hails from Garhwal District of the Himalayan region. Shri Rawat works solely for the social and economic cause, and progress of the people. After completing his graduation in social work from the Tata Institute of Social Science in 1952 and drawing inspiration from Gandhiji’s British disciple Saralabehn, founder of Lakshmi Ashram, in Kausani, Almora; Shri Rawat participated in the Bhoodan movement and got involved in other activities initiated by Vinobaji.
To propagate Swaraj movement, with devotion and perseverance he has dedicated his life for the upliftment and development of the Boksa tribes in Haldukhata and its surrounding villages in Uttarakhand. Shri Rawat was also associated with the preparation of Jal Niti (water policy) which was submitted to the Government of India.
Shri. Perumal Vivekanandan a post graduate in agriculture quit his job to join the NGO movement in 1987. He wanted to promote simple technologies developed by grassroots innovators and bring them to the forefront, while preventing erosion of traditional knowledge and resources. In order to institutionalize this initiative, Shri Vivekanandan formed an organization Sustainable-agriculture and Environmental Voluntary Action (SEVA) in 1992. Under the leadership of Shri Vivekanandan, SEVA has helped to promote grassroots green technologies in Tamil Nadu; and documents the traditional knowledge/grassroots innovations in agriculture, animal husbandry and conversation of agricultural biodiversity.
His vision has led to formation of herders’ association, farmers’ groups and grassroots innovators association. Shri Vivekanandan was awarded first prize for scouting maximum number of innovations of rural people in Tamil Nadu in 2001 by National Innovation Foundation, Ahmedabad. He has received The World Technology Awards 2003 for Environment (finalist) and the George Atkins Communications Award in 1999.
Smt. Anne Ferrer was born in England, came to India and studied journalism in Mumbai. After marrying Shri Vincent Ferrer, the couple moved to Ananthapuram, a chronic drought prone district in Andhra Pradesh, with a sole intent to serve the poorest of the poor in India. This led to the setting up the Rural Development Trust (popularly called RDT) in 1969. Smt. Ferrer has also initiated the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PTMTCT) of HIV project. This has facilitated reduction in vertical transmission of HIV from mothers to infants. Smt. Anne Ferrer emancipated and empowered the rural women by enlightening them on child right to education, safe child birth and institutionalized deliveries, health, hygiene, savings, income generation, etc. This resulted in starting of a special women sector in 1982 by her.
Organizing women into self-help groups (women sanghams) promoted solidarity; and increased their self-confidence and self-respect. Women are trained in need-based vocational skills, in farm and non-farm sector and are also encouraged to manage their mini-banks. She is the recipient of the Isabel Ferrer Award for gender equality (Generalitat Valenciana) in 2005, and Ugadi Puraskar by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for her contribution to rural development. Smt. Ferrer has portrayed Shri. Ferrer’s and her journey of life and work, in her book `Expect a miracle and lots of hard work’.
Dr. Minoru Kasai was born in Ichinoscki in Northern Japan, and brought up in Shanghai, China. He has been an ardent Gandhian and a Gandhian scholar, as his relation with India and scholarship on Gandhiji’s life and philosophy started during his student days at the Benaras Hindu University. Dr. Kasai has visited India several times on teaching assignments and research presentations at various universities. Since 1968 till date he has been associated with the International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo, Japan and currently is the Professor Emeritus of the University. After retirement, he is still actively conducting monthly studies on Gandhiji’s Swaraj at the ICU. Dr. Kasai is yearning for reconciliation and creative co-existence beyond hatred with forgiveness on conflicts between China and Japan.
Dr. Kasai’s journey of work and life continues to spread Gandhiji’s revolutionary message and vision in India, America, Philippines and South Africa. During a recent visit to Manila he met the people who had participated in the 1986 Philippines EDSA revolution (People Power Revolution). Dr. Kasai was impressed to find Gandhiji’s beliefs and ideologies alive in them. Dr. Kasai has written book chapters titled Gandhi and the Converging Point of Cultures, Mankind’s Consciousness and Structure of Culture, Studying Gandhi in Universities, among many others.
