Gandhi Peace Prize conferred on late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos

Muscat: The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019 has been conferred on the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour. 

Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by the Government of India since 1995, the 125th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Jury for Gandhi Peace Prize is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ,and comprises two ex-officio members, namely the Chief Justice of India and  Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in Lok Sabha. 

Two eminent members are also part of the Jury, namely Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation.

The Jury met on 19th March, 2021 ,and after due deliberations, unanimously decided to select (Late) H.M. Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2019, in recognition of his outstanding contributions for social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.

The past awardees include luminaries like Dr. Julius Nyerere, Former President of Tanzania; Dr. Gerhard Fischer, Federal Republic of Germany; Ramakrishna Mission; Baba Amte (Shri Murlidhar Devidas Amte); Late Dr. Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa; Grameen Bank of Bangladesh; Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa; Shri Chandi Prasad Bhatt & Indian Space Research Organisation. Recent awardees include Vivekananda Kendra, India (2015); Akshaya Patra Foundation, India and Sulabh International (Jointly, for 2016); Ekal Abhiyan Trust, India(2017) and Shri Yohei Sasakawa, Japan(2018).

The award carries an amount of Rs. 10 million, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/ handloom item.

“His Majesty Sultan Qaboos was a visionary leader whose twin policy of moderation and mediation in addressing international issues won him praise and respect across the globe. He played an important role in supporting peace efforts in various regional disputes and conflicts. H.M. Sultan Qaboos was the architect of the special ties between India and Oman. He had studied in India and always maintained a special relationship with India,” a statement from Ministry of Culture said.