Gandhian “Warriors” honoured at 43rd Jamnalal Bajaj Awards 2021
The 43rd Annual Jamnalal Bajaj Awards 2021 function hosted by the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation bestowed felicitations upon four individuals honouring them for their humanitarian work. The Award ceremony was held virtually on 6th January 2021 at 6.30 pm.
The four awardees were felicitated in the presence of the Chief Guest Nobel Peace Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi, Founder of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Chairman, Council of Advisors of the Foundation, Chairpersons of the Selection Committees, Members of the Council of Advisors of the Foundation, and the august gathering.
The awardees are as follows:
- Award for Constructive Work – Shri Dharampal Saini (Founder, Mata Rukhmani Sewa Sansthan, Chhattisgarh)
- Award for Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development – Dr. Lal Singh (Director, Himalayan Research Group (HRG), Himachal Pradesh)
- Award for Development and Welfare of Women and Children – Sister Lucy Kurien (Founder Director, Maher, Maharashtra)
- International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Outside India – Mr. David H. Albert (Past Chair, Friendly Water for the World, United States of America)
Unfortunately, Shri Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, was unable to attend the award ceremony being unwell at the time of the event. While conveying his compliments to the awardees, Shri Shekhar Bajaj delivered a speech representing Shri Rahul Bajaj, stating, “We congratulate all the winners as they have contributed to society with their exemplary work. It is very important to recognize these individuals and honour their efforts, so that more people get inspired by their unflinching selflessness. The winners have each contributed a lot in their own way to the propagation of the Gandhian principles and it is exactly this that Shri Jamnalalji desired. The Foundation is proud and privileged to recognize the winners who have touched so many lives and transformed them emotionally, economically and socially.”
Chief Guest Nobel Peace Laureate, Shri Kailash Satyarthi in his keynote address stated, “When I look at all the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation award winners among us, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as they have propagated the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. They are like bright rays of hope who are doing outstanding philanthropic work to raise the underprivileged from destitution. This is not just an award, but a tradition. When stalwarts from the business sector, like that of Shri Jamnalalji’s successors, take development ahead, it reforms society.
The pandemic has been especially difficult for the underprivileged, the abused, the marginalised and the needy. These people need dignity and opportunity, the failure to provide which will push more underprivileged children into the clutches of child labour by 2022. The world is facing discrimination, injustice and inequality and the pandemic has exposed this through the simplest example of vaccine accessibility. The pandemic will ensure that it becomes a crisis of the entire civilization unless we start behaving like one entity. The world needs four things now. Just like there is globalisation of production, we need globalisation of compassion. We need a network of responsibility. There must be an algorithm of diversity which bats for an inclusive social structure. Lastly, we should all create a supply chain of gratitude because it is not merely our talents that make us who we are. We are all made of divine power because the Almighty has been kind. Together, we can make a better nation, a better society, and in turn, a better world.”
Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, FRS, Chairman, Council of Advisors, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation said, “Our awards carry a great prestige, great value, not just the monetary one, but the value that is associated with the very name of Jamnalal Bajaj, a great humanitarian, a valiant freedom fighter, a compassionate philanthropist and a passionate social reformer.
Jamnalalji was an ardent Mahatma Gandhi follower. He practiced Gandhian ethics in every sphere of his life – political, social, business and personal. Therefore, the awards are given to those exceptional individuals, who are committed to inclusive development in line with Gandhian constructive work program”.
For more information on Jamnalal Bajaj Awards, visit: https://www.jamnalalbajajawards.org/awards-2021
