Youth will drive India of the future: Vice-President Naidu

MUDDENAHALLI: Seven individuals who have made eminent contributions in the fields of education, environment, health, music and fine arts, religious unity, women and child welfare and sports were on Friday honoured with the Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence on the occasion of the 93rd birth anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The third edition of the award presentation was hosted by the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Trust at Muddenahalli, 59km from Bengaluru.

The awardees are Kartik Sawhney (Education), Purnima Devi Barman (Environment), Dr Sunil Kumar Hebbi (Health), Dr Ambika Kameshwar (Music and Fine Arts), Vinayak Lohani (Unity of Religions), Binalakshmi Nepram (Women and Child Welfare) and Tegla Chepkite Loroupe (Sports) from Kenya.

Presenting the awards, Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu said the Sri Sathya Sai Award for Human Excellence is a very noble initiative to recognise individuals who are doing tremendous work for the uplift of society in various parts of the world. “I congratulate the awardees for their outstanding contributions to society. I am pleased that inspired by Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s immortal message, your organisation has taken up several welfare projects in the fields of education, healthcare and nutrition,” he said.

Observing that India’s youth is multi-talented, he said, “We are a young India, with nearly 65% of our population being less than 35 years of age. Youth represents the energy that will drive India of the future.”

Karnataka governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala commended the work of the jury that chose the award winners. “Sathya Sai Baba served everyone without discriminating on the basis of caste and creed. His work has inspired many. His influence is seen in Gujarat too where his followers are imparting service to the needy without any expectation,” said Vala, who is from Gujarat.