National Communal Harmony Award for Mohinder Singh for his work done in restoring peace after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and noted academician N Radhakrishnan for his promotion of Gandhian values were announced today.
Singh, along with Gandhian Radhakrishnan of Kerala, have been selected for the coveted award in the individual category while the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai has been selected in the organisation category.
"Singh, aged 72...Along with other social activists, organised relief camps in Delhi and restored friendship between Hindu and Sikh communities in the wake of anti-Sikh riots. In 1985, he set-up a Communal Harmony Forum along with Dr Nirmala Deshpande, which worked for nearly four years and organised inter-faith meetings and visit to holy places by its members," a Home Ministry statement said.
Noted academic and Gandhian scholar N Radhakrishnan (69) initiated the Shanti Sena programme at the Gandhigram University, Tamil Nadu, and extended this work to other parts of the country. His work to restore peace in communally tense areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala is well known.
"Having served as Director of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti for more than a decade, he was instrumental in initiating and implementing many innovative activities in educational institutions by using Gandhian values and principles. His campaign 'Himsamukth Bharat Andolan' motivated people to become foot soldiers in campaigning for peace and sustainable development," it said.
Mumbai-based Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) has been working on human rights issues and issues of the marginalised and deprived sections of the society.
"The centre has published a number of books and literary material highlighting different facets of violence and communalism, peace, secularism and communal harmony which have a wide readership. It has also been regularly publishing a quarterly journal 'Indian Journal of Secularism' which is popular amongst academics and the masses," it said.
