Samanvaya is happy to announce two awards in the name of Swami Vivekananda as its celebration of his 150th birth year in 2013.
The awards are primarily meant as an encouragement and appreciation of small efforts by individual or groups that are making large difference by their dedication, novelty, passion and capacity to inspire. The award consists of a small cash award and a certificate of appreciation.
The two awards that have been instituted by Samanvaya and were awarded on the 6th Jan 2013 at the annual NDSO Conference of Voluntary agencies held in Tiruchirapalli. Over 1000 volunteers and agencies from across Tamilnadu participated in this event.
The two awards are in the following categories -
1. Organic Farming - for individuals and groups involved in inspiring work to promote organic farming and food during the year from across the state.
2. Self-reliance in Education - exemplary work in the field of education (not limited to schooling alone) that has led to self reliance in people.
For the first year 2013, the Organic Farming award went to NALLA KEERAI, a "back to land" initiative by a young group of happy corporate drop-outs. The team facilitated and lead by Mr. Jagannathan has Mr. Thirumalai, Mr. Gowtham Balaji, Ms. Punitha and many others. This team had in the last couple of years struggled to rejuvenate a small stretch of land in the outskirts of the city of Chennai and grow organic greens. They have managed to supply nalla keerai (good greens in tamil) to the consumers in Chennai. In the process they have managed to create more dialogue on organic farming and safe food among the urban consumers directly than many events and promotional programmes can achieve.
The award for Self-Reliance in Education was chosen by the NDSO coordinators this year from among its large number of inspiring members. This year's award went to Mr. Raja, a visually challenged young man who while pursuing his Ph.D., has also facilitated higher education for very large number of visually challenged persons across the state. His dedication and passion towards making life for the visually challenged students better has made him travel across the state in the last years and build a large network of agencies and individuals involved in facilitating confidence and self-reliance in them. Mr. Raja had recently gone on a 9 day hunger fast to protest against the government agencies apathy towards people like himself and in the process encountered the brutality of the State as well.
Picture of the award function here soon...
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