International Gandhi Peace Prize Announced

The Union government has announced the winners for International Gandhi Peace Prize. The awards were announced for the years 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 after the gap of four years.

Winners of Gandhi Peace Prize

The government has announced the names of Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari (2015), AkshayaPatra Foundation and  Sulabh International  (2016), EkalAbhiyan Trust (2017) and Yohei Sasakawa (2018) for the International Gandhi Peace Prize.
The Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari was awarded for its contribution to rural development, education, and development of natural resources.
The Akshaya Patra Foundation was awarded for its work towards providing midday meals to children across India.
The Sulabh International was awarded for its contribution towards the improvement of sanitation facilities in India and the emancipation of manual scavengers.
The EkalAbhiyan Trust was awarded for its work in the field of education for rural and tribal children, rural empowerment and gender and social equality.
Yohei Sasakawa, chairperson of Nippon Foundation and World Health Organization goodwill ambassador was awarded for his contribution towards eradicating leprosy.

About International Gandhi Peace Prize

International Gandhi Peace Prize was constituted by the government of India in 1995 as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhiji, father of the Nation.
The winners are selected by a jury headed by Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons. The winners would receive a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque and a traditional handicraft/handloom item.