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'Significant contribution to spreading harmony'

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi Jan. 30. The Government has decided to award the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2002 to Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan for its "significant contribution towards spreading peace and harmony among all religions and communities in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, as also integration of the best of ancient and modern values."

The award, carrying a cash component of Rs. one crore and a citation, will be given away by the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, at a later date. Last year, the award was conferred on John Hume of Ireland. Other winners are Julius Nyerere, A.T. Ariyaratne, Baba Amte, Nelson Mandela, the Ramakrishna Mission and the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. Announcing the award, the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Jagmohan, said the five-member jury for deciding the prestigious award was chaired by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. The members comprised the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi, the Chief Justice of India, V.N. Khare, former President, R. Venkataraman and former Prime Minister, I.K. Gujral.

The Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan was established in 1938 by the statesman and legal luminary, Kulapati K.M. Munshi, with the "blessings" of Mahatma Gandhi. The institution had grown to its present stature under the guidance of eminent personalities like Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Rajagopalachari. It now has over 90 centres in the country with 45 schools, where special emphasis is on value and cultural education, promotion of religious inter-faith, understanding, mutual respect and peace. The Bhavan has a number of centres abroad with major cultural centres in London, New York, Lisbon and Mexico.The Bhavan is known worldwide for its vast range of publications on diverse themes as philosophy, scriptures and above all, Gandhian literature. More than 16,000 books have been published by it so far. About 15 to 20 books are added to the number every month. Besides, it brings out magazines in English, Hindi and Gujarati.The Bhavan's Journal, published fortnightly, is widely read.

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