The Praful Bidwai Memorial Award for 2018 was today conferred upon Ulka Mahajan, one of the three founders of Sarvahara Jan Andolan.
The Praful Bidwai Memorial Award, instituted in the memory of journalist and social activist who died in Amsterdam in 2015 and was committed to radical social transformation, justice for all and gender equality, seeks to recognise the efforts of individuals and institutions that strive for similar ends.
The award was presented to Mahajan by social activist Medha Patkar.
"For Mahajan, it was a journey that began in 1989 as a student of social work, when she became acquainted with the Katkari adivasis, who traditionally survived on extracting katha from the Acacia catechu trees growing in local forests," Patkar said.
The SJA has been working to empower extremely impoverished and marginalised communities of Raigad, Maharashtra, through people's action.
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