Harmony Foundation
Dr. Abraham Mathai Mahesh Bhatt Tushar Gandhi Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat
President Patron Patron Patron
2, Minirose Apts, CST Road, Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai 400098
PRESS RELEASE 31st December 2012
Harmony Foundation honours Shri. Sanjiv Bhatt and several others with the 5th edition of the Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice 2012 The Harmony Foundation on Monday, 31st December 2012 delivered the 5th Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice to Shri. Sanjiv Bhatt, in lieu of his accomplishment for standing against communal forces to ensure the protection of the vulnerable and insecure minorities. Since Shri. Sanjiv Bhatt was not able to collect the award in person on November 28 at a specially held ceremony at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, the award was handed over in absentia. Harmony Foundation president Dr. Abraham Mathai then decided to present the award to Shri. Bhatt in Ahmedabad Gujarat, his home state in the presence of Fr. Cedric Prakash and Sisters from the Missionaries of Charity.
Several other persons also received the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for Social Justice this year for their invaluable contribution towards social causes including Dr. Sima Samar, Chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission & former Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan and Ms. Malala Yousafzai , student and education activist from Pakistan who was shot at by the Taliban for speaking up for right to education of the girl child.
While awards were handed out to the winners in person, Shri. Sanjiv Bhatt could not attend the ceremony and his award was handed over in absentia. It was for this purpose that a specially organised event was scheduled in Gujarat to honour Shri. Bhatt with the award.
“I sincerely believe that Shri. Sanjiv Bhatt is deserving of this great honour. In the wake of attacks by powerful and hostile forces in the State, Sanjiv Bhatt has been consistent in standing up for the rights of others” said Fr. Cedric Prakash, while giving away the award.
Other recipients of this prestigious award in the past have been H.H.Dalai Lama, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Ansar Burney- Former Human Rights Minister-Pakistan & Baroness Caroline Cox, Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, UK
Dr. Abraham Mathai
President – Harmony Foundation &
Ex Vice-Chairman, Maharashtra Minorities Commission
Mobile : 9870061184
