The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 is being conferred on ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The award instituted by the Government of India was awarded to Mujibur Rahman in recognition of his “outstanding contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods”, as per a GOI press release.
The award carries an amount of Rs. 1 crore, a citation, a plaque andan exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item.
The press release by the Ministry of Culture which announced the prize says, “The Gandhi Peace Prize recognizes the immense and unparalleled contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in inspiring the liberation of Bangladesh, bringing stability to a nation born out of strife, laying the foundation for the close and fraternal relations between India and Bangladesh, and promoting peace and non-violence in the Indian subcontinent.”
PM Modi has said that Bangabandhu was a champion of human rights and freedom, and is a hero to Indians as well. He also said that the legacy and inspiration of Bangabandhu has made the heritage of both countries more comprehensive and deep-rooted, and that the path shown by Bangabandhu has laid a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade.
Gandhi Peace Prize
Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by Government of India since 1995, the 125th Birth Anniversary commemoration year of Mahatma Gandhi. The Jury for Gandhi Peace Prize is chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and comprises of two ex-officio members viz., the Chief Justice of India and Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in Lok Sabha. Two eminent members are also part of the Jury, namely Shri Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and Shri Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organization.
The Jury met on 19th March, 2021 and unanimously decided to select Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020, in recognition of hisoutstanding contributionstowards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
The past awardees include luminaries like Dr. Julius Nyerere, Former President of Tanzania; Dr. Gerhard Fischer, Federal Republic of Germany; Ramakrishna Mission; Baba Amte (Shri MurlidharDevidasAmte); Late Dr. Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa; Grameen Bank of Bangladesh; Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa; Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt & Indian Space Research Organisation. Recent awardees include Vivekananda Kendra, India(2015); Akshaya Patra Foundation, India and Sulabh International (Jointly, for 2016); Ekal Abhiyan Trust, India(2017) and Shri Yohei Sasakawa, Japan(2018).
Aayush Pal 
Balaji Subramanian 
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