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New Delhi, Jan 31 (UNI) South Africa's anti-apartheid leader, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was today conferred with the Rs one crore Gandhi Peace Prize for outstanding work and contribution to social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian means.

President A P J Abdul Kalam presented the 2005 prize, which also carries a citation, to the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner at a glittering function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Archbishop is the second leader from South Africa to get the prize, the first being former President Dr Nelson Mandela who was conferred with the honour along the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh in 2000.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet colleagues and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among those who attended the function.

''In honouring Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nation pays a tribute to an extraordinary man, who by his fearlessness, selflessness and dedication to the cause of humanity upheld those ideals which were dearest to Mahatma Gandhi,'' the citation said.

The South African Cleric and activist, the first black person to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa, rose to world-wide fame as an opponent of apartheid. He consistently worked for reconciliation among all parties involved in apartheid through his writings and lectures at home and abroad.

For his role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October, 1984. After the fall of apartheid he headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for which he was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize in 1999.

The Archbishop has strongly advocated human rights and democracy in Palestine and Indonesia. His championship of democratic rights and criticism of human rights abuse has been consistent and a great moral support to the oppressed everywhere.

India had launched the Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Jury for selection of the awardee from amongst the nominees comprises five members -- Prime Minister of India (Chairman), the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, the Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons.

At present, Mr R Venkataraman, former President of India, and Mr I K Gujral, former Prime Minister, are the two members of the Jury in the eminent persons' category.

The earlier winners of the Gandhi Peace Prize are former Tanzanian President Dr Julius Nyerere (1995), Sarvodaya Movement's Founder President Dr A T Ariyaratne of Sri Lanka (1996), Dr Gerhard Fischer of Germany (1997), Ramakrishna Mission, India (1998) Baba Amte (Murlidhar Devidas Amte), India (1999), former South African President Dr Nelson Mandela and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh (2000), Mr John Hume, Ireland (2001), Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, India (2002), and former Czechoslovakia President Vaclav Havel (2003).

The winner of the 2005 prize was chosen by the Jury at a meeting on September 26, 2006 chaired by Dr Manmohan Singh.

UNI

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