Manama: Indian social worker Professor Achyuta Samanta received his $1 million (Dh3.67 million) prize from King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa at a solemn ceremony in the Bahraini capital Manama.
Samanta, from Odisha, was last month declared the winner of the 2013-2015 Eisa Award for Service to Humanity for his efforts in social care and education.
The biennial award is named after the Emir of Bahrain, the late Shaikh Eisa, who ruled from 1961 until 1999. It is presented on June 3, his birthday.
In his speech, King Hamad said the award with its ultimate goal of encouraging humanitarian services “transcends borders and is not restricted by sect, geography or nationality.
“Today, we witness with you the outcome of the second edition of the Eisa Award for Service to Humanity, as it continues to take promising steps in different areas, and to excel as an Arab and global award for human services,” King Hamad said.
“These are the very values and principles in which His Highness the late Shaikh Eisa Bin Salman Al Khalifa [may Allah rest his soul in eternal peace] believed and upon which he based his humility and closeness to his people. His achievements in the name of humanity were a testament to his spirit, and brought him and his country, the world’s appreciation and respect.”
He added the jury received numerous nominations of global names in human services, both individuals and organisations.
“The nominations were reviewed by a panel of international experts, who chose to give the award to a humble and self-made academic from the friendly Republic of India,” King Hamad said.
Service to humanity
“This person has based his services to humanity on constant diligence, as he strived to find effective initiatives that would eradicate poverty, hunger, and illiteracy, while working on providing the less fortunate with job opportunities and a better standard of living. His initiative grew to become one of the biggest in Eastern India, offering free state-of-the-art education and accommodation on an independent campus.
"This initiative involves thousands of children and young people from the poorest families. It became a unique, unprecedented achievement and an example of giving and selflessness. So, tributes go to Professor Achyuta Samanta for this pioneering accomplishment,” he said.
Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Eisa Award for Service to Humanity Shaikh Mohammad Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa said the jury had “exerted tremendous efforts to review the nominations, initiatives and projects dedicated to serving humanity within full transparency and fairness.”
“The jury decided, unanimously, to grant the second Eisa Award for Service to Humanity to the founder and Director of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Professor Achyuta Samanta Kalinga, for his pioneering and outstanding efforts in saving thousands of children, belonging to various ethnicities and religions, from poverty, homelessness and deprivation and opened up horizons of hope, work and production.”
In his speech, Samanta said he was honoured to be granted the award by King Hamad, saying it would be a great motivation for him to carry on his humanitarian work in serving humanity.
At a press conference following the ceremony, Samanta said educational institutes targeting underprivileged children would be opened in India.
“We have already expanded beyond India with plans to open educational institutions for poor children in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and beyond. There is also a possible expansion to open partnerships with others across the globe to provide education, food, shelter and work to those living in poverty,” he said.
