Gandhian thinking still relevant, says President Kovind at Peace Prize event
THE PRIZE WAS INSTITUTED IN 1995 ON THE OCCASION OF MAHATMA GANDHI’S 125TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday presented the Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Kanyakumari’s Vivekananda Kendra got the award for 2015, the Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International for 2016, the Ekal Abhiyan Trust for 2017 and Shri Yohei Sasakawa for 2018.
The prize was instituted in 1995 on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 125th birth anniversary.
It is given annually for contributions to the society’s social, economic, and political transformation through Gandhian methods. Speaking on the occasion, Kovind said the Gandhian thinking, modes of struggle and ideas of achieving human liberty by conciliation, and appealing to the conscience of the opponent have influenced some of the greatest of our age. “Mahatma Gandhi remains relevant to 21st-century as well. In his advocacy of sustainability, ecological sensitivity... he anticipated some of the pressing challenges of our times,” said Kovind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present at the ceremony, stressed on the need to follow the Gandhian principles.
“I extend my heartiest congratulation to organisations which have received the award for their contribution to the social, political and economic development of the country,” said Modi.