The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2014 to Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) today (September 9, 2015) at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Chairman of ISRO Shri A S Kiran Kumar received the honour on behalf of the organization. The Hon’ble Vice President Of India Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Minister of State for Culture (IC), Tourism (IC) & Civil Aviation Dr Mahesh Sharma, members of Jury & a distinguished gathering including eminent Gandhians were present at the function.
Speaking on the occasion, the President congratulated each and every member of the Indian Space community on ISRO being awarded the coveted Gandhi Peace Prize. He said Science and Technology is a key driver for shaping the destiny of nations and people across the globe. Technology is built not so much by individuals but by organizations. The characteristics of organizations – their leaders, their structures and their cultures have a great bearing on catalyzing innovations and putting them to use for the benefit of society. ISRO is one such Indian organization, which has nurtured, developed and demonstrated world class capabilities. Even as it has sought to encompass the globe and reach for the stars, it has remained rooted in its core mission of national regeneration and improving the life of the common man, a goal set for the nation by Mahatma Gandhi.
Dr Mahesh Sharma said I congratulate the ISRO on behalf of the nation. Gandhi Peace Prize is being awarded to an institution which followed the footstep of Mahatma Gandhi. ISRO has contributed to the nation through the application of space technology. ISRO has changed the life of common man while bringing space to the service of people. He also said that ISRO is working on 170 projects in coordination with various departments of the Government of India. ISRO’s space technologies have been of great help during the natural disasters and have been helpful in the service of the humanity and the nation He added.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO said that this is the recognition of the visionary Dr Vikram Sarabhai and the successive leaders of ISRO and their contribution. He said that ISRO pledges and rededicates to bring the fruits of space technology to the people of the country.
Indian Space Research Organisation is engaged in making space technology a catalyst of development to bring about societal transformation. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s mission is to provide the nation with space based services and to develop the technologies to achieve the same. Through the years, ISRO has upheld its mission of bringing space to the service of the common man and in the service of the nation. In the process it has become one of the six largest space agencies of the world.
ISRO contributes to the nation’s development through satellite based education, health care and connectivity to community activities for sustainable economic development. Besides this, ISRO through space technology has allowed for improved mapping of agricultural land and water-shed areas, providing advisories to fishing communities, giving information support for decentralised planning, creating data base of heritage sites, better climate and disaster management support and promoting a knowledge-based society, which has led to social, economic and political transformation through non-violence.
ISRO also has through tele-medicine, one of the communication technology applications, has enhanced the healthcare services delivery, wherein a satellite tele-medicine network through INSAT system links the rural hospitals in the country with specialty hospitals to enable the rural populace to access the specialist medical consultations. Similarly, Tele-Education has demonstrated the unique capability of satellites in virtually taking the best teachers in the country to teach students in the rural villages.
ISRO contributes to the nation’s development through satellite based education, health care and connectivity to community activities for sustainable economic development. Besides this, ISRO through space technology has allowed for improved mapping of agricultural land and water-shed areas, providing advisories to fishing communities, giving information support for decentralised planning, creating data base of heritage sites, better climate and disaster management support and promoting a knowledge-based society, which has led to social, economic and political transformation through non-violence.
ISRO also has through tele-medicine, one of the communication technology applications, has enhanced the healthcare services delivery, wherein a satellite tele-medicine network through INSAT system links the rural hospitals in the country with specialty hospitals to enable the rural populace to access the specialist medical consultations. Similarly, Tele-Education has demonstrated the unique capability of satellites in virtually taking the best teachers in the country to teach students in the rural villages.
The Gandhi Peace Prize was instituted by the Government of India in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This annual award is given to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The Award carries an amount of Rupees one crore in cash, a plaque and a citation.
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