Gandhi Prize awarded posthumously to Sultan Qaboos and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Our Correspondent

India on March 23 named Oman’s longest-serving former ruler Sultan Qaboos and Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the Gandhi Peace Prize. While the former is the 2019 recipient, the latter is the 2020 recipient of the prestigious prize.

Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award that was instituted by Government of India in 1995. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handloom item.

The announcement of the Prize has been hailed by Oman. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted: “The Sultanate expresses its thanks and appreciation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chairman of the prize’s adjudication committee, and other members of the jury.”

Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi also expressed happiness about the award. “We thank our Indian friends most warmly on this tribute,” Busaidi tweeted.

The Prize recognises the leadership of Sultan Qaboos in strengthening relations between India and Oman, and his efforts to promote peace and non-violence in the Gulf region.

In a press release, the Indian Embassy in Muscat noted that Sultan Qaboos was a visionary leader whose twin policy of moderation and mediation in addressing international issues won him praise and respect across the globe.

Sultan Qaboos had studied in India and always maintained a special relationship with the country. Ties between Oman and India flourished under his rule and have been continuing with the same strength under the present ruler Sultan Haitham bin Tariq. He was a key to meeting India’s energy security needs in the Persian Gulf. He often served as a facilitator of talks between adversaries Iran and the U.S.

Bangladesh thanks India

The 2020 award for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh, his first foreign trip since the outbreak of Covid-19. Modi will attend the national day programme of Bangladesh on March 26 as guest of honour. He will also participate of three epochal events – Mujib Borsho, the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; 50 years of diplomatic ties; and 50 years of Bangladesh’s war of liberation in 1971.

On March 24, Bangladesh thanked India for conferring the award. “It is an honour for Bangladesh and its people for the Father of the Nation to be bestowed with this prestigious award”, said an official release.

“As Bangladesh commemorates the legacy of Bangabandhu on his 100th birth anniversary, the award comes as recognition of the life long struggle of this enduring leader to ensure the freedom, rights, aspirations and emancipation of his people and towards building a world free from hunger, poverty and exploitation,” the release said.

It said the honour assumes special significance on the 50th year of Bangladesh’s independence when the country is on the verge of becoming a developing country, through political, economic and social transformation, the foundations of which were laid by the country’s founding father whose daughter Sheikh Hasina now heads the country.

The award is also a befitting tribute to the ever-deepening Bangladesh-India relations in a year when both countries are jointly celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence, 50 years of diplomatic relations and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, noted the national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.