The Central government have announced the Gandhi Peace Awards for the last two years. The former Bangladesh President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the year 2020 and the late Sultan of Oman for the year 2019, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, will be given the Gandhi Peace Prize. The Ministry of Culture gave this information on Monday.
The announcement came as a surprise as it was the first time that these awards were conferred posthumously. Moreover, it is pertinent to note that the decision to give Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the award for 2020 comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh, which will be his first overseas trip since the outbreak of Covid-19.
PM Modi will be the guest of honour at Bangladesh's national day celebrations on March 26 and will take part in the commemoration of "three epochal events": Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Bangladesh's father of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 50 years of diplomatic relations, and 50 years of Bangladesh's liberation war.
Taking on to Twitter, PM Modi said that Gandhi Peace Prize 2020 has been given to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the greatest leaders of our subcontinent. The year 2020 marked the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. He is a symbol of indomitable courage and the tireless struggle for his millions of fans.
Gandhi Peace Prize 2020 has been conferred on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the greatest leaders of our subcontinent. Year 2020 marked the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. He remains an icon of indomitable courage and tireless struggle for his millions of admirers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2021
PM Modi also added that the Gandhi Peace Prize 2019 is being awarded to Sultan Qaboos bin Saeed Al Said of Oman, who stands as a leader of remarkable compassion and in advancing peace and prosperity in the West Asian region. Further, The Ministry of Culture informed that the late Sultan Qaboos of Oman is being awarded to recognize his efforts to strengthen relations with India and promote peace and non-violence in the Gulf region.
Gandhi Peace Prize
Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by the Government of India to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1995. This award is for all persons beyond nationality, race, language, caste, creed.
The jury deciding the Gandhi Peace Prize was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It consists of two ex-officio members of the jury, the Chief Justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. Two other members - Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and founder of Sulabh International Social Services Organization Bindeshwar Pathak - are also part of this jury.
