Kalam to present Communal Harmony awards

New Delhi, Apr 30: President A P J Abdul Kalam will present the prestigious "Kabir Puraskar" and "National Communal Harmony Awards" for 2005 at the Vigyan Bhavan tomorrow.

Md Aynal Hoque will be given Kabir Puraskar and K Rajaratnam Isaac, while the communal harmony awards will be received by eminent Gandhian Hema Bharali in the individual category and the Ramakrishna Mission in the organisation category.

On the eve of the award presentation, the Union Home Ministry today organised an interaction with Ms Hema Bharali, a noted Gandhi an Sarvodaya activist.

Eighty-eight-year old Bharali said that her first meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1945 continue to inspire her even today, prompting her to work with the young people and motivating them to work for the society. ''The path that Gandhiji had shown could be achieved with our initiative.'' She said all should work for communal harmony with a single minded devotion.

Referring to problems in her home state of Assam, she said, ''the problems there cannot be solved by violence. These should be solved with an open mind and talks must continue.'' Ms Bharali, who contributed significantly during the 1950 earthquake in Upper Assam and later during the communal riots in February 1983, said there was nothing like working among people, especially the needy.

Mr P V Bhinde, Additional Secretary in the Home ministry, was also present at the interaction.

UNI