Dr. Yunus wins 1st Sakaal Person of the Year Award

Mumbai, Nov 13, 2007: Nobel Peace Prize winner and the Founder & CMD of Grameen Bank Dr. Muhammad Yunus will be awarded the first - Sakaal Person of the Year Award (2007) - by Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture Mr. Sharad Pawar on Nov 17 at Pune.

Instituted by the Sakaal Group, the Sakaal Person of the Year Award will honour and promote individuals from across the globe who have made significant contributions in their chosen field from areas as diverse as social work, education, science, technology, culture, politics, business and governance. The award will comprise a citation and a cash component of Rs 10 lakh.

The recipients will be selected on the basis of their contribution to the upliftment of the backward sections of the society, their innovative approach to a problem, their track record of commitment to the cause, impact of their work, transparent functioning and scalability of their work.

"By acknowledging and honouring the contributions of such individuals, this annual award will serve as an effective vehicle in strengthening the cause for which the recipient has dedicated his or her life. It will also promote the social cause against a global backdrop," said Mr. Abhijit Pawar, Sakaal Group Director and Publisher.

The institution of the Sakaal Person of the Year Award is a logical extension of the numerous social activities that Sakaal Group has consistently undertaken ever since its inception in 1932. Some of these initiatives include: a) provision of relief and rehabilitation to victims of natural disasters in the country, b) inculcation of humanitarian values among school children through the Newspaper in Education (NIE) programme, c) extension of help to farmers for improving farm productivity and marketability of their produce, d) extension of financial assistance to economically backward students for pursuing their college studies, e) setting up of scholarships for meritorious and needy students for pursuing their overseas studies, f) setting up of a common platform for industry and academia in order to build a symbiotic relationship.