THE 21st Dr Hedgewar Pragya Samman will be presented to noted Hindi writer and director of Ramayana Centre, Mauritius, Shri Rajendra Arun for his outstanding services to popularise the Ramkatha in many countries. The Samman is presented every year by Shree Burrabazar Kumarsabha Pustakalaya of Kolkata. This year it will be presented by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on April 18 at a special function to be organised at Mahajati Sadan auditorium in Kolkata. The Samman consists of Rs 51,000, a citation and a memento.
Born on July 29, 1945, at Narvapitambarpur village under Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh Shri Arun received higher education from Allahabad University. He started his journalism career from Rashtradharma in Lucknow. In 1973 he went to Mauritius and became the editor of Janata, a weekly newspaper started by President Sir Shivsagar Ramghulam. He also wrote for Samachar, UNI and Hindusthan Samachar from Mauritius. He has been fully dedicated to the propagation of the Ramayana since 1983 through radio, television, discourses and writings. It was due to the efforts of Shri Arun that the Mauritius Parliament set up a Ramayana Centre. Shri Arun was appointed its director.
(FOC)
