New Delhi: Sant Ishwar Foundation, in association with the Rashtriya Sewa Bharati, felicitated about one and a half dozen individuals and organisations for their outstanding services in remote areas of the country. Four individuals and organisations were felicitated with Sant Ishwar Vishisht Sewa Samman, while 12 individuals and organisations were honoured with Sant Ishwar Sewa Samman. Vishesh Sewa Samman was presented to the Siachen Brigade of Indian Army. RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal, Union Minister of State for Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel and former Akhil Bharatiya Sewa Pramukh of RSS Shri Suhas Hiremath were also present.
Presenting the Awards, Dr Krishna Gopal said feeling blessed after serving the needy is the Hindu philosophy. He said those who have been felicitated, detected any of the problems in the society and started efforts to cure that at their own level. It is interesting that Sant Ishwar Foundation identified such visionaries from the remote areas and recognised their efforts at the national level.
Shri Prahlad Singh Patel congratulated all the winners and stressed the need that such individuals and organisations should get active social support. Shri Suhas Hiremath introduced the activities of Sant Ishwar Foundation. Many eminent personalities including VHP working president Shri Alok Kumar, organising secretary of Rashtriya Sewa Bharati Shri Sudhir Kumar, president Shri Pannalal Bhansali, general secretary Shri Shravan Goel, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Samanvya Pramukh Sushri Gitatai Gunde, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Sah Sampark Pramukh Shri Ramlal, Justice (retd) Shri Pramod Kohli, etc were also present on the occasion.
Sant Ishwar Foundation was formed in 2013 to encourage the individuals and organisations working in the field of sewa particularly in remote areas. Sant Ishwar Vishisht Sewa Samman consists of Rs five lakh for each winner, while the winners of Sant Ishwar Sewa Samman get Rs one lakh each. According to Shri Kapil Khanna, president of the Foundation, the selection of the winners is done by a jury comprising of retired judges, social workers, senior journalists etc. This year’s jury was headed by justice (retd) Shri Pramod Kohli.
Siachen brigade of the Indian Army was felicitated for cleaning 130 tonnes of waste in Siachen Glacier during the last 19 months. Col. Abhishek on behalf of the Brigade received the Samman. Sant Ishwar Vishisht Sewa Samman was presented to Swami Pranroopanand from Khorda, Odisha for his services among the tribals, Shri Chaitram Pawar from Dhule (Maharashtra) for building over 700 check dams, Smt Sunanda Vasudev Tolband from Bijapur, Karnataka for rehabilitating over 2250 child labour and preventing over 1700 child marriages, and Ashray organisation from Una, Himachal Pradesh, for rehabilitating the hapless children.
The winners of Sant Ishwar Sewa Samman include Shri Darshanlal from Dehradun who has started five primary, two junior high school and Inter Colleges among Buksa tribal villages; Sushri P Lalhamigaliyani from Aizawl (Mizoram) for spreading education in rural areas; Shri Rasid Mohan Gavit from Nandurbar (Maharashtra) for promoting new farming techniques; Bhagirath Gram Vikas Pratishthan from Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) for building over 700 bio gas plants; Shri Himmataram Bhanbhu from Nagaur (Rajasthan) for planting 3.5 lakh trees, Shri Jaiwant Wadekar from Thane (Maharashtra) for producing over 50 farm tools; Sushri Suman Akhauri from Plamu (Jharkhand) for making over 60,000 women self-reliant through 5000 SHGs, Sushri Snegalatha from Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) for starting Balwadis in Kanyakumari; Dr Shanta Vaidya Memorial Foundation, Pune for educating the children suffering from dyslexia; Shreya School from East Godawari (Andhra Pradesh) for skill development of Divyangs; Dr Manisha Yogesh Khaladkar from Pune for technical training to children for Neno satellite ‘Swayam’; and Rekha Hembram from Dumka (Jharkhand) for saving over 25000 people from conversion.
—Dr Pramod Kumar
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