Salaam Awards

To celebrate the spirit of solidarity and heroism shown by ordinary men and women during the ghastly serial blasts of Ahmedabad that silenced and maimed scores of innocent lives in July, SPRAT had conferred the Salaam Awards.

This was in further reference to our earlier letter announcing and seeking nominations for these awards.

Nominations were sought both publicly through press and also from the victims themselves, and a small number of individual heroes and institutions were finalized.

On the anniversary of the Gujarat’s communal disturbances, SPRAT – supported by the leading NGOs of the state – had organized a programme to identify and salute the heroes: men and women who displayed the spirit of courage, solidarity and sacrifice. Those who saved other’s lives or properties and who suffered to mitigate other’s suffering. Those who stood up to do their duty, thereby strengthening national integration.

Nominations were sought publicly and examined by a distinguished panel of judges. Afterwards, these recommendations were evaluated by the Salaam Coordination Council [SCC] in the light of the criteria it laid down.

To immortalise the solidarity a monument was dedicated to the Unsung Hero at a central location. Its replica was reproduced on the memento.

For the record SPRAT is run by a distinguished Board of Governors comprising former ministers of Govt of India, Professors of IIMA, an eminent Gandhian, a celebrity artiste, a distinguished former bureaucrat, a bank CEO etc. It is headed by the noted agro-economist Dr Yoginder Alagh. Its public functions are usually supported by nearly all concerned NGOs of Gujarat.