Gandhi Peace Prize for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 announced

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New Delhi : The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015, 2016 ,2017, and 2018 has been announced by the jury. Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, gets the prize for the year 2015 for their contribution in Rural Development, Education , Development of natural resources.

For 2016, it has been conferred on  jointly to Akshaya Patra Foundation for its contribution in providing mid-day meals to millions of children across India and Sulabh International for its contribution in improving the condition of sanitation in India and emancipation of manual scavengers.

Ekal Abhiyan Trust gets the prize for the year 2017 for their contribution in providing Education to Rural and Tribal Children in remote areas pan India, Rural Empowerment, Gender and Social Equality.

Yohei Sasakawa gets the prize for the year 2018 for his contribution in Leprosy Eradication in India and across the world.

The jury under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising the Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Speaker of Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in Lok Sabha  Mallikarjuna Kharge and Member of Parliament L K Advani after detailed discussions on January 16, 2019, unanimously decided to select the above organisation/persons in recognition to their outstanding contributions in different fields.

The annual award was instituted by the Government of India in 1995 during the commemoration of 125^th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The award carries an amount of Rs 1 crore, a Citation in a scroll, a plaque as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item, according to a PIB release.