February 28, 2014

Chandi Prasad Bhatt Gets Gandhi Peace Prize For 2013



The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2013 has been awarded to eminent Gandhian and environmentalist, Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt.
The Jury for the Prize met under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on 18th February 2014 and decided upon his name. The other members of the Jury were Justice P. Sathasivam, Chief Justice of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha), Dr. Karan Singh, M.P(Rajya Sabha) and Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, ex- Governor, West Bengal.
Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt, born in 1934 , is a noted Gandhian environmentalist and social activist. He was one of the pioneers of the Chipko movement for which he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982. He is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 2005. One of India’s first modern environmentalists, today he is known for his work on subaltern social ecology.
The International Gandhi Peace Prize, named after Mahatma Gandhi, is awarded annually by the Government of India. As a tribute to the ideals espoused by Gandhi, the Government of India launched the International Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mohandas Gandhi. This is an annual award given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The award carries Rs. 10 million in cash, convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque and a citation. It is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, creed or sex. A jury consisting of the Prime Minister of India, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons decides the awardee each year.