G D Robert Govender bestowed with 2019 V K Krishna Menon Award

G D ‘Robert’ Govender, an Indian-origin journalist in South Africa, has been honoured in the UK with 2019 V K Krishna Menon award for his outstanding contribution as a pioneer of decolonized journalism. During a career spanning nearly 60 years, Govender developed a reputation as a campaigning journalist and author and was also the first journalist to call for an international boycott of South Africa’s whites-only sports teams. He was awarded posthumously during an event by the UK-based V K Krishna Menon Foundation to mark the 123rd birth anniversary of Indian diplomat and politician V K Krishna Menon. The objectives of the foundation are to eradicate illiteracy and propagate knowledge among the masses of the world, promote oriental art and culture, eliminate poverty, encourage proliferation and promote Non-Aligned Movement in the world. V K Krishna Menon was a freedom fighter and independent India’s first high commissioner to the UK. Later on he also became defence minister of the country during Jawaharlal Nehru’s prime ministership.