The Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award presented by the Government of India that recognises monumental efforts in various fields across society. Established in 1995, on the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the award confers an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation in a scroll, a plaque, and an exquisite traditional handicraft or handloom item. The prize is not awarded posthumously and is open to all individuals regardless of nationality, creed, race or sex. Here are some notable laureates from the years 2015 to 2018.
Noteworthy Laureates
In 2015, the Gandhi Peace Prize was awarded to Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for their significant endeavours in rural development, education and development of natural resources. The next year, the prize was jointly awarded to Sulabh International and the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Sulabh International was recognised for its work on improving sanitation conditions in India and the emancipation of manual scavengers, while Akshaya Patra Foundation was acknowledged for providing mid-day meals to millions of children across India.
In 2017, Ekal Abhiyan Trust received the award for its contribution to providing education for rural and tribal children in India, promoting rural empowerment, gender equality, and social equality. The most recent laureate, for the year 2018, was Shri. Yohei Sasakawa who was recognised for his substantial contribution to leprosy eradication in India and worldwide.
Award Jury Composition
The jury for the Gandhi Peace Prize includes several eminent personalities such as the Prime Minister, who serves as Chairman, the Chief Justice of India, the Leader of the single largest Opposition Party in LokSabha, and two other distinguished personalities.
| Year | Laureate | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari | Rural Development, Education, Development of natural resources |
| 2016 (Jointly) | Akshaya Patra Foundation & Sulabh International | Mid-day meals to children & Improvement of sanitation respectively |
| 2017 | Ekal Abhiyan Trust | Education for Rural and Tribal Children, Social Equality |
| 2018 | Shri Yohei Sasakawa | Leprosy Eradication |
Education Institutions Ranking by Times Higher Education
In addition to these recognitions, Times Higher Education, a London-based publication, annually releases a ranking of institutions from emerging economies. As of 2019, the list includes about 450 universities from 43 countries across four continents. India showed an improved performance that year with 49 institutions making it to the list, including 25 in the top 200. Leading India were the Indian Institute of Science (14th) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (27th).
Global Risk Report 2019: Findings and Forecasts
The World Economic Forum recently released the Global Risk Report 2019, listing future threats ranging from geopolitical and geo-economic tensions to environmental degradation and disruptions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Major risk forecasts were categorized into five areas: economic, environmental, geo-political, societal, and technological with each presenting its unique set of challenges.