Need to emulate example of brave people: Dasmunsi

New Delhi, Aug 23 (UNI) Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting P R Dasmunsi today stressed the need to remember and honour the work of brave people in the country and emulate their example to carry the country forward on the path of progress.

''Brave deeds by people across the country should always be remembered as their examples serve as inspiration to others, thus helping to carry the country forward,'' Mr Dasmunsi said in his address after presenting the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery awards at a function in the capital last night.

''Whenever such functions are organised, I feel proud of the bravery of people of my country,''the Minister said at a function where he, along with the chairperson of the guild of service V Mohini Giri, president of the Dastakari Haat Samiti Jaya Jaitley, Senior Police official Kiran Bedi and Godfrey Phillips ambassador Preity Zinta presented the awards to nine persons and organisations for their selfless service for others, sometimes in the face of all odds.

Among the presented awards the noted luminaries present on the occasion were the Social Lifetime Achievement Award to Mohammed Abdul Wohab from West Bengal, for his unreleneting efforts to improve the plight of villagers in South and North 24 Parganas districts, and a Special Social Lifetime Achievement award to Alice Garg from Rajasthan, for her extraordinary and selfless contribution towards empowerment of women in the area. The awards were presented in three categories - Physical Bravery, Social Acts of Courage and Mind of Steel Award, which started this year.

The recipients in the Physical Bravery category this year were Late Manoj Chauhan from Madhya Pradesh- who saved lives of 35 people during Indore floods last year, Late Javed Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh- who died while saving lives of many small children from a blazing inferno in Meerut and Late Biswanath Ghosh from West Bengal - who came to rescue some helpless girls when some goons were harassing them but was shot down by the goons the very next day.

In the category of 'Social Acts of courage', the awards went to Dr Rekha Misra from Haryana who has emerged as a role model for her social acts of courage and fought against social evils, the organisation 'Ambulance Access for all' from Maharastra for rolling out an advance life support ambulance service in Mumbai accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere at affordable price and Ujjaini Senior Citizen's Forum from Madhya Pradesh for giving shelter to all age groups without discriminating against caste, creed, religion, gender or province.

The Mind of Steel award went to Ms Ashamma from Andhra Pradesh for raising her voice against the exploitative practice of 'Jogini', in which young girls are married to village diety and them sexually exploited.

Speaking on the occasion, Godfrey Phillips ambassador and Bollywood bubbly girl Preity Zinta said of all the roles she had played till date, the ambassador of Godfrey Phillips was the most cherished one.

The actor said this year's awards were dedicated to the empowerment of women, for which Godfrey Phillips had also tied up with NGOs Charities' Aid Foundation and Nasvjyoti.

Stressing on the need to stop considering women as "burden" in families in the country, Preity said,''I am here because my parents did not consider me a burden and encouraged me to do what I wanted.

There is an urgent need to spread the idea around that women are not a burden. Infact, they are 'lakshmis' in your homes.'' Addressing the gathering, Ms Kiran Bedi said,''for the common man, bravery is when we turn out negativity into positivilty and make it an attitude. In this sense, life of all these brave people is an inspiration and an encouragement to throw out all our negativity and channelise our energies in positive tasks.'' The chairman of Godfrey Phillips K K Modi said the Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards were a part of the company's social responsibility, initiated to build a braver and more social responsible and caring society.

Instituted in 1990 to bring to light the "uncommon spirit of the common man", the Godfrey Phillips awards were elevated to national stature in 2005. Today, it covers 16 states and awards are given in five zonal ceremonies.

UNI