45th Jamnalal Bajaj Awards to be presented on 8th December, 2023
Mumbai : The prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards, now in its 45th edition, is set to take place on December 8, 2023. These awards, presented annually on the occasion of Shri Jamnalal Bajaj’s birth anniversary, recognize outstanding contributions in the fields of humanitarian activities and Gandhian constructive programs.
This year, the function would be graced with the presence of Chief Guest – Hon’ble Dr Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India. The acclaimed winners will be felicitated at a special function which will be presided over by Mr. Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, Nobel Peace Laureate Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, Trustee of the Foundation & Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, FRS, Chairman of the Council of Advisers of the Foundation at The Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai.
This award is presented to honor and motivate the unprecedented contributions of individuals towards the upliftment and development of the society, rural community and the nation, at large.
Each recipient is honored with a Citation, a Trophy and a Cash Prize. In a special tribute to the Centennial Celebrations of the Birth Anniversary of Shri Ramkrishna Bajaj, Founder of the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, the Foundation has elevated the prize money from Rs. 10,00,000/- to Rs. 20,00,000/- (or its equivalent in foreign exchange for the International Award) in each award category, effective from 2023 awards.
The four prime categories of awards include three National Awards and one International Award:
1. Constructive Work – recognizes the substantial constructive work focusing on Mahatma Gandhi’s eighteen constructive programmes in order to create a self-reliant community.
2. Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development – recognizes the substantial contribution in the field of application of science and technology which are relevant, accessible and affordable to the weaker sections of the society and which has created an impact on rural and tribal development.
3. Development and Welfare of Women and Children (exclusively for women) recognizes the substantial contributions towards development and welfare of women and children focusing on areas like education, skills training, healthcare, literacy, livelihood activities, holistic development, advocacy, etc.
4. Promoting of Gandhian Values Outside India (International award) – recognizes the outstanding work of foreign individuals in proliferating Gandhiji’s vision in the areas like non-violence, peace, harmony, brotherhood and moral conscience.
Shri Jamnalal Bajaj was adopted by Mahatma Gandhi as his fifth son and was the alter ego of the Mahatma in the Gandhian Constructive Movement. The Foundation continues to serve the ideals to which Shri Jamnalalji had dedicated his life to and promotes the kind of Gandhian constructive activities, in which he himself was deeply involved during his lifetime.
Chairman, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, Mr. Shekhar Bajaj shares, “Across the decades, the Jamnalal Bajaj Awards have evolved significantly, gaining prominence and engaging change-makers globally. Through these awards, we honor individuals at the grassroots level, passionately involved in constructive work programmes and community development work aligned with Gandhian principles. The fundamental objective of the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation is to honour and suitably reward the selfless contribution of persons who dedicate their lives to Gandhian Constructive Work and the ideals of Jamnalal Bajaj. Ramkrishna Bajaj, second son of Jamnalal Bajaj, too had adhered to the Gandhian philosophy and gave a good part of his life in the service of the country in many ways. Ramkrishna Bajaj continued to keep alive the memory of his father as a social worker par excellence. He set up, on behalf of the family, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation to fulfil the ideals for which Jamnalal Bajaj had dedicated his life.”
Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, Trustee of Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation states, “We are all aware that Jamnalal Bajaj Awards is not only an award, it’s a tradition and this tradition is being carried forward by Shri Jamnalal Bajaj’s family, his generations. They have not only kept his values alive but have also taken it forward and are inspiring others to promote Gandhiji’s values. It is very humbling to believe that whom Gandhiji used to call and had adopted as his fifth son, his sons and grandsons, are taking the tradition forward.”
Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, FRS, Chairman of the Council of Advisers of the Foundation states, “For a span of four and a half decades, the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation has maintained its standing as a distinguished Gandhian institution. Shri Jamnalalji, a compassionate philanthropist and an influential social reformer, dedicated his life to the principles of Satyagraha, Khadi, the elimination of untouchability, and other pivotal movements that formed an essential part of Gandhiji’s initiatives during the Independence Movement and National Reconstruction. We continue to champion and propagate these ideals, contributing to a legacy of meaningful social transformation.”
Mr. Madhur Bajaj, Trustee of Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation states, “We take pride in our ceaseless commitment to spotlight the dedicated efforts of individuals preserving the essence of Gandhian principles through constructive work. Our goal is to ignite inspiration among millions in India and worldwide to embrace a Gandhian way of life. Over the years, the Bajaj family, along with esteemed members of Selection Committees, Council of Advisers, and Trustees, has diligently documented and deliberated on the endeavors of individuals who have instilled the true spirit and ideology of Jamnalalji and Gandhian principles into our society.”
The Pre-Awards Process
There are four Selection Committees, one for each award, which undertakes a rigorous evaluation and time-consuming selection process. All the nominations received from across the country and from abroad, are studied thoroughly to generate a nominee shortlist. An assessment report is prepared after each shortlisted nominee is personally visited by a Member of the Bajaj family, a few Selection Committee Members and the Secretary of the Foundation. The thorough analysis of these assessment reports then gives out the top three nominations. A final awardee is selected in each category unanimously by the Council of Advisers from these top three nominations in each category, which are invariably acknowledged by the Trustees.
2023 Nomination Statistics
This year, 309 people from across India sent applications for the national category, recommending 125 names from 22 States in the category of Constructive Work, 61 nominations from 16 States in the category of Application of Science and Technology for Rural Development and 123 applications from 21 States for the award for Development and Welfare of Women and Children. 24 nominations representing 14 countries were received for the International Award.