Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The 40th Niwano Peace Prize will be awarded to founder of Ekta Parishad Rajagopal PV of India in recognition of his extraordinary work in the service of justice and peace.
The felicitation ceremony will take place in Tokyo (Japan) on May 11. In addition to an award certificate, Rajagopal will receive a medal and twenty million yen.
Rajagopal’s actions in favour of the poorest and most marginalised of his country, carried out through peaceful and nonviolent methods, and his struggle for the recognition of the equal human dignity and equal rights of every man and woman, irrespective of caste or gender, inspires great admiration.
His particular accomplishments that garner the highest esteem include negotiating the surrender and facilitating the rehabilitation of gangs, the education of young people in the service of the poor, and, well aware that the primary needs of the poor are water, land, and forests, his commitment to care for the environment.
The selection process
To avoid undue emphasis on any particular religion or region, every year the Peace Foundation solicits nominations from people of recognised intellectual and religious statutes around the world. In the nomination process, some 600 people and organisations, representing 125 countries and many religions, are asked to propose candidates.
Nominations are rigorously screened by the Niwano Peace Prize Committee, which was set up in May of 2003 on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Niwano Peace Prize. The Committee presently consists of nine religious leaders from various parts of the world, all of whom are involved in movements for peace and inter-religious cooperation.
The 'Raju Bhai' of tribals
National Convener of Ekta Parishad, Madhya Pradesh, Anish Kumar told Free Press that Rajagopal started working for peace in the 1970s from Madhya Pradesh with Gandhian ideas. He has also played a role in getting the Chambal dacoits to surrender along with renowned Gandhian late SN Subbarao.
Anil Gupta who works for Ekta Parishad in Sheopur says “Rajgopal ji is known as ‘Raju Bhai’ among the tribals of Madhya Pradesh because of his work for the rights of local people on Jal (water), Jungle (forest) and Zameen (land).” Due to his efforts, lakhs of people have got the right to land, he adds.
