Gopalkrishna Gandhi conferred with 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award

Former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was conferred with 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award. He was presented award in New Delhi on occasion of 74th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Born on 22 April 1945. He is grandson of Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi. He is retired IAS officer (Tamil Nadu cadre) and also had served as diplomat. He was 22nd Governor of West Bengal serving from 2004 to 2009. As former IAS officer, he had served as Secretary to President of India (1987-1992). He had served as India’s High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka and also held other important administrative and diplomatic posts. He was United Progressive Alliance (UPA) nominee for 2017 Vice President of India election and lost with 244 votes against NDA candidate Venkaiah Naidu, who recieved 516 votes.

Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award

It is awarded every year on persons for outstanding contribution towards promotion of communal harmony, national integration and peace. It was instituted in 1992 by All India Congress Committee of Indian National Congress Party (INC) to commemorate the lasting contribution made by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The award carries citation and cash award of Rs. ten lakhs. It is given on 20 August (birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi observed as), which is celebrated as Sadbhavna Diwas (Harmony Day). Former recipients of award include Mother Teresa, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Yunus, Sunil Dutt, Kapila Vatsyayan, Dilip Kumar, Teesta Setalvad, Swami Agnivesh, K.R. Narayanan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Muzaffar Ali and Shubha Mudgal. In 2017, it was awarded to Former Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin and Retired IAS Officer M.Gopala Krishna.