Sant Eshwar Samman 2023: ‘Seva is in the blood of Bharat,’ says Suresh Bhaiyaji Joshi

Former Sarkaryawah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi has criticised the process of distribution of prestigious National Awards by the previous Governments.

“Earlier, those who asked for it used to get prestigious national honours like Padmashree, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna. People also used to do service to earn respect and used to run a lot for it, but now a new system is being seen. Respect is now reaching the deserving people themselves. This is a big change,” said Bhaiyyaji Joshi, while addressing Sant Eshwer Samman Ceremony-2023, organised under the joint aegis of Sant Eshwer Foundation, Rashtriya Seva Bharti and Ashok Singhal Foundation at Bharat Ratna C Subramaniam Auditorium at NASC Complex, Pusa, New Delhi.

True Service Awakens Us

On the occasion, Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi clarified that there is no service for the prestige of service. “This is also not a service for any greed or purpose. Rather, true service is the effort to awaken the best in a person and set him on his way to his goal. Its means require not intelligence and money but strength of mind, internal energy and selflessness.”

While uttering the famous Sanskrit shloka, Seva Paramo Dharma: Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Bhaiyyaji Joshi said, “Service has been in the blood of Bharat since ancient times. Earlier also, there was a commitment towards this. There was a dream in the eyes and the courage to compete in the absence of resources but what was not there was the environment which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given.”

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Sant Eshwer Foundation is working to bring about a change in the lives of economically and socially backward people. “This has inspired the country’s youth to work wherever it is needed.”

This year, Sant Eshwer Foundation also released a book Jivan Sangram based on late Khairati Lal Khanna’s life.

ISRO Is Leading Space Agency in world

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said that Bharat’s stature in space research is growing day-by-day and is now competing with the space elites. He further said ISRO is now considered a leading space agency in the world despite the time advantage NASA and other space agencies once enjoyed. He added that countries like the United States and Russia, who once looked down on Bharat now want to partner-up with it.

The Minister said that Bharat enjoyed the additional benefit of being the world’s traditional knowledge centre. He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work in promoting space research has increased transparency and boosted its popularity amongst citizens.

Nine Years of ‘Sant Eshwer Samman’

While introducing Sant Eshwer Samman to the gathering, president of Sant Eshwer Foundation, Kapil Khanna, said it was conceptualised nine years ago, and the first edition of Sant Eshwer Samman function was held in 2015.

So far, Sant Eshwer Samman has honoured 118 awardees from 30 States of India with an amount of Rs 2.25 crores in eight years. Of which six were awarded Padma Awards by the Government of India.

Kapil Khanna said this year, Sant Eshwer Samman was given to 18 social workers/organisations serving in remote places of the country. “This ceremony aims to honour those individuals, service seekers and organisations making their valuable contribution to nation-building by staying away from publicity in their lives and only serving society.”

National General Secretary of Sant Eshwer Foundation, Ms Vrinda Khanna while giving detailed information about Sant Eshwer Samman, said that this honour is given to individuals and institutions mainly in four areas – tribal, rural development, women-child development and exceptional contribution (art, literature, environment, health and education) in three categories, one Vishesh Seva Samman, 4 Vishisht Seva Samman(” 5,00,000 each) and 12 Seva Samman(” 1,00,000 each).

The total amount of ” 32 lakh to individuals and institutions every year, including shawl, trophies, certificate.

Samman to ISRO, Organisations & individuals

• This year, Sant Eshwer Vishesh Samman was given to the Indian Space Research Organisation “ISRO”. The success of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 has earned the respect of Indians worldwide. ISRO scientists were honoured with special honour for their distinguished service.
• In the tribal area, Rural Education and Development Society, Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, was awarded (the Distinguished Service Award)
• Deshaj Pratishtha, who is committed to improving the intellectual, physical, mental, educational and economic level of tribal children, was awarded Sant Eshwer Seva Samman
• Archery Award. K. Govindan, an expert in Guru Shishya tradition, from Wayanad, Kerala and Binita Jigdung, Dimapur, Nagaland were honoured with Sant Eshwer Seva Samman
• Sunil Arjun Rao Shinde from Jalna, Maharashtra, has invented and manufactured agricultural equipment that is environment friendly to improve the lives of over 2000 farmers. This year, he was awarded the Sant Eshwer Seva Samman for his special contribution in the rural area
• Ramcharan Lodha Guradi (Rajasthan), Patalchandi Kalyan Samiti (West Bengal) and Gopal Dondiya (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh) from rural areas were given Sant Eshwer Seva Samman for water conservation and tree plantation work.
• Bhanupriya Bhatt from Women and Child Development Sector, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, who has been providing education to children at the rate of only one rupee per month for the last several years, was honoured with the Sant Eshwer Vishisht Seva Samman.
• Archana Sharma, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, for the work of shaping the future of the children of the Paradhi nomadic tribe and Acharya Dr Sumedha, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, who has been working for the education of girls from low-income families for more than three decades, was honoured with Sant Eshwer Seva Samman.
• Tejaswini Seva Pratishthan, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh’s organisation making efforts for the health of girls suffering from leprosy, was honoured with the Sant Eshwer Seva Samman.
• In the particular contribution area, Sumit Kumar from Turhapadi, Bihar, is working for such children who loot clothes, money, fruits, etc., from the dead bodies coming to the crematorium. Sumit Kumar, concerned about his education, initiation and future, was given Sant Eshwer Seva Samman for his special contribution.
• Ravi Kalra of “The Earth Saviors Foundation”, Gurugram, Haryana, who is currently taking care of more than 1000 senior citizens and mentally challenged people, was honoured with the Sant Eshwer Samman for the year 2023.
• Sundaram Tiwari, Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, who promoted tree plantation across the country, covered 28 states and planted 2,02,743 trees on a cycle journey for a total of 18,000 kilometres, was honoured with Sant Eshwer Seva Samman.
• Pawan Kumar from Kota, Rajasthan, who researched ancient and traditional methods of agriculture, and Dadi Bhagwani Devi Dagar, Najafgarh, Delhi, a 95-year-old athlete who won 95 medals in a single year, were honoured with the Sant Eshwer Sewa Samman.

This year, 18 individuals and organisations engaged in social welfare from across the country were honoured. Last year in 2022, Sant Eshwer Foundation released the book “Seva Paramo Dharma”, dedicated to its hundred service seekers. The jury members of Sant Eshwer Samman Samiti are Shri S. Gurumurthy (CA.) Director (Reserve Bank of India), Shri Pramod Kohli- Retired Chief Justice (Sikkim High Court), Retired Chairman Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Padmashree Jawaharlal Kaul- Senior Journalist, Padmashree Ram Bahadur Rai- Chairman Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra, Senior Journalist, Shri Pannalal Bhansali- Chairman Rashtriya Seva Bharti, Shri Gunwant Kothari – All India Executive Member, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Shri Kapil Khanna- Chairman of Sant Eshwer Samman Samiti.

In this unique felicitation ceremony, the Auditorium was full of honourable guests, it seemed as if the whole of Delhi had gathered to honour them.