The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Ambedkar Award presented to seer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 15, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Ambedkar Award presented to seer

Staff Reporter

The swamiji is known for having trained and anointed a Dalit as the head of a math The swamiji anointed a Dalit as the head of a math

SPECIAL MOMENT: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy along with Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa greeting students undergoing the Professional Aircraft Pilot training at Rajiv Gandhi Aviation Academy in Hyderabad and who are sponsored by the Karnata ka Government, at Dr. Ambedkar's 115th birth anniversary celebrations in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday gave away the Ambedkar Award to Shivamurthy Murugarajendra Swamiji of Chitradurga and seven others for their contribution for the uplift of Dalits, at a function to celebrate the 115th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.

The swamiji, who is known for having trained and anointed a Dalit as the head of a math, said in his acceptance speech that he had chosen this path because it had been the way of the Buddha, Basavanna and Ambedkar, who "only grew in strength at every adversity and defeat, and went on to inspire a mass movement."

Many people believed and spread the belief that he did it for publicity, and he had been taken to court and harassed for having chosen to work with the Dalits and fight for their rightful place in society.

Other awardees

The other awardees were: Thimmarayappa (social service); Jogan Shankar (education); M.S. Dhananjaya (medicine); H. Janardhana (theatre); Bangarevva Ramachandra (folk art); Dasanoor Poosanna (literature) and Kallana Gouda Ramannagouda Patil (social work).

This year's Ambedkar Jayanti was special for other reasons too. About 200 girls being trained at the Air Hostess Academy under a special scheme of the Government, the second batch of 10 pilots and the earlier batch of eight pilots, as well as over 250 nurses receiving training under special social welfare scheme provided a visual treat at the Vidhana Soudha's portals, the venue of the function.

The air hostess trainees in black and red, the pilots and nurses in their uniforms waved at the dignitaries on the dais when Social Welfare Commissioner Shivaramu presented them.

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