Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Apr 4: In order to strengthen the bonds between the bordering States from north-east, Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra, Governor of Meghalaya Satya Pal Malik and former IPS officer AS Dulat have been selected for the prestigious ‘Sant Namdev National Awards’ for the years 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and former Union Minister (MP) Sharad Pawar will confer the award on April 7 in New Delhi. The function will be presided over by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka.
The prestigious ‘Sant Namdev National Award’ has been instituted by the well-known Pune-based NGO Sarhad. It is a social, cultural and educational organization, dedicated for the past four decades to the welfare of the strife-hit people in bordering areas of the country. It strives to establish strong bonds between them and the people of Pune.
This award is bestowed on eminent people from Punjab who have helped strengthen ties between the bordering states and Maharashtra. The award is named after Sant Namdev, the 13th century Poet-Saint from Maharashtra who is venerated in Sikhism as he spent many years in Punjab. He is believed to have passed away in Ghuman village of Gurdaspur district in Punjab. This award is given for the outstanding contribution to the nation in any field of endeavour and consists of Rs 1.01 lakh and a memento.
Sarhad president Sanjay Nahar said, ‘We are proud to confer this award on Governor of Meghalaya, Satya Pal Malik and former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and former Secretary of Research and Analysis (RAW), A S Dulat for their exemplary life and work for peace, development and prosperity of the bordering states. Their role in strengthening the bonds between the bordering states and Maharashtra has been vital.
Eminent dignitaries including renowned poet Gulzar, Economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Editor of Punjab Kesari Vijay Kumar Chopra, former Prime Minister Late Chandra Shekhar, social activists Satyapal and Vimla Daang, former DGP SS Virk, veteran Journalists Jatinder Pannu, Kuldip Nayyar and film maker Yash Chopra are the recipients of this award in the past.
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