39th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Award conferred

The 39^th Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Award was awarded on 7 November 2016 in Mumbai, Maharastra.This year, the receivers of the award were Mohan Hirabai Hiralal and BonBehari Vishnu Nimbkar from Maharashtra, Dr. Nannapaneni Manga Devi from Andhra Pradesh and Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi from Tunisia.

• The four winners were felicitated for their work in the fields of constructive work, application of science & technology for rural development, development and welfare of women and children and international award for promoting Gandhian values outside India.
• Dr. Justice CS Dharmadhikari (Retd.), Chairman, Council of Advisors of the Foundation was the chief guest at the event.

Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards

The award is presented every year in honor of the birth anniversary of Shri Jamnalal Bajaj. The Award comprise of a Citation, a Trophy and a prize amount of Rs. 10, 00,000 in each category.

• The four prime categories of awards include three National Awards and one International Award.

2016 Winners list :

Mohan Hirabai Hiralal :

• Mohan Hiralal was born on 31^st December 1949. He helped villagers of Mendha (Lekha) to focus on women’s participation, alcohol prohibition, forest conservation and rights, fight against corruption, cultural rights, youth empowerment, sustainability, equity and security.
• His knowledge and direction helped the people of the village to make the Gram Sabha more inclusive, participatory and active.

Shri BonBehari Vishnu Nimbkar :

• Vishnu was Born on the 17^th July, 1931.He is known for his extraordinary work in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry for over five decades.
• He has been instrumental in increasing crop and animal productivity and taking their benefits directly to farmers and animal rearers.

Nannapaneni Manga Devi :

• Dr. Nannapaneni Manga Devi was born on the 1^st of July, 1937 in Tenali, Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. She did her post-graduation in History and Education and obtained her Doctorate in Early Childhood.
• Later she joined in Government’s Women and Child Welfare Department where she got an opportunity to undergo training at Gandhigram in Madurai – where she physically witnessed the practicing of Gandhian principles. After that, Dr. Manga Devi was motivated to get trained in Montessori System of Education.

Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi

• Sheikh Ghannouchi was born in a farmer’s family in Gabes in Southeastern Tunisia on the 22^nd of June, 1941.
• He completed his primary education in his village, and later studied in the Zaytouna College and University, learning an Islamic curriculum in Gabes and Tunis after which he went to Egypt, Syria and France for further studies. After his return to Tunisia in 1969.
• He focused on promoting religious and social reforms in his country. By the late 1970s, his focus of concern gradually shifted to politics as nationwide discontent against the increasingly authoritarian regime was growing