Ritu Kumar presented ''Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini'' award

New DElhi, Nov 19 (UNI) Fashion designer Ritu Kumar, who first started the boutique culture in India, was today presented the ''Indira Gandhi Priyardarshini'' award for 2007.

On receiving the award, Ms Kumar said, ''I am quite surprised but its gratifying that this recognition has come to the world of fashion.'' ''The time has come when fields like the fashion industry, IT are being recognised for its work. Earlier, people treated it as non-conventional but today they have accepted and it is befitting,'' she added.

The awards were presented during a conference on ''India of Indira's Dream'' which is being organised on the 90th birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Nearly 52 people were honoured for their outstanding services, achievements and contributions in their respective fields.

Another recepient, Prof O N Nagi, senior consultant at the Department of Orthopaedics, Sir Gangaram Hospital, said ''Receiving this award is a great honour and it provides the encouragement which is catalytic to better performance and results.'' Visually challenged awardee Dr Rakesh Kumar Jaiswal said getting the award has proved the fact that ''Every man can do something special for society regardless of his physical condition.'' A book ''People the Hope'' was released on the occasion.

Choudhary Prem Singh, Speaker, Delhi Assembly Suryakanta Patil, Minister of State for Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Tarlochan Singh, M P, Rajya Sabha; Shri Joginder Singh, Former Director CBI and Shri Harcharan Singh Joshi, National Commission of Minorities were also present.

Mother Teresa, Birju Maharaj, Pt Hari Prasad were previous recepients of the prestigious award.

UNI