About Award

Report from New Delhi (India)
Former South African President and Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela was on Wednesday named for this year's  prestigious international Gandhi Peace Prize which he will share with the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. The award, instituted  by the Government of India in 1995 on the 125th birth anniversary of the Father of Nation (Mahatma Gandhi), carries a cash prize of Rs. one crore and has been jointly awarded for the first time.  Announcing the name  of the awardees here, Tourism and Culture Minister Ananth Kumar said " They have been chosen in recognition of their exemplary work resulting in social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and Gandhian means"

Introduction
The International Gandhi Peace Prize was instituted by the Government of India on the occasion of the
125th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, for
social, economic and political transformation
through non-violence and other Gandhian methods.

The Recipient
The Prize is to be awarded for contributions made
by a person or an institution who worked selflessly
towards social, economic and political
transformation through non-violence and other
Gandhian means, for the amelioration of human
suffering particularly of the less privileged
sections of the society contributing towards social
justice and harmony, irrespective of whether he
holds a high public office or not. 

The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, Creed or sex.  Achievements upto 10 years preceding the nomination, shall be considered.
Older work may be considered if its significance
has become apparent only recently. A written work,
in order  to be eligible for consideration should
have been published.

The Award carries an amount of Rs.10 million
(convertible in foreign currency) a Citation and
Plaque.

Since its institution, the Award has been conferred on
Dr.Julius K.Nyerere, former President of Tanzania in
1995,
Dr.A.T.Ariyaratane, President of Sarvodaya
Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka in 1996,
Dr.Gerhard Fisher, a former German diplomat in 1997,
The Ramkrishna Mission, in 1998.
Shri Murlidhar Devidas Amte (Baba Amte), India, has been chosen for the Award in 1999.