Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], April 12 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel honored two distinguished individuals with the Ratnasinhji Mahida Memorial Award, instituted in memory of the late Ratnasinhji Mahida–a renowned social reformer, educationist, and lifelong advocate for tribal welfare from Rajpipla in Narmada district.
Starting this year, the Ratnasinh Mahida Memorial Award has been introduced, and the inaugural awards were presented to Dr. Madhukar Padvi, the Vice-Chancellor of Birsa Munda Tribal University, and Dr S. Prasanna Sree, the first tribal woman Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.
While presenting this prestigious honor, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel lauded the late Ratnasinh Mahida for his unwavering commitment to tribal welfare and education through his philanthropic efforts.
He said that the initiation of this award during the year of celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of the Bhagwan Birsa Munda and the Year of Janjatiya Gaurav is a significant coincidence. The Chief Minister also honored Virajkumari Mahida, the granddaughter of the late Ratnasinhji Mahida, for continuing his legacy and moving it forward.
CM mentioned that late Ratnasinhji Mahida began his educational mission in 1957 with the establishment of the Adivasi Seva Sangh, aiming to bring tribal communities into the mainstream through education.
He established around 72 educational institutions, ranging from kindergarten to college. Through his efforts, new educational opportunities were created for the tribal and marginalized communities. The unwavering dedication and selfless service of the late Ratnasinhji Mahida paved the way for the empowerment of the tribal community throughout the region, leading to a profound transformation in the lives of innumerable individuals.
While presenting this award, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlighted the impactful efforts made in the last decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare and holistic progress of the tribal community in the country.
In this regard, he mentioned that, along with the tripled budget for tribal welfare, the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan has significantly boosted the development of social infrastructure in 63,000 villages.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel further added that, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the state government has ensured holistic development across 53 talukas in 14 tribal districts.
Inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision, Birsa Munda Tribal University has been established in Rajpipla to provide skill-based, vocational, technical, and higher education in tribal arts and culture to the youth in tribal areas. He further added that an additional allocation of Rs3,300 crore has been made in this year’s budget of the Tribal Development Department specifically for educational schemes.
The Chief Minister further emphasized that recognizing individuals from the tribal community for their exceptional contributions across various fields will serve as a fresh source of inspiration for the advancement of the tribal community.
CM also conveyed his belief that this year’s first Memorial Award, presented to two individuals committed to advancing tribal education in the spirit of late Ratnasinhji’s work, will spark a new wave of educational progress within the tribal community.
On this occasion, Member of Parliament Bharuch, Mansukh Vasava, stated that Rajpipla is a sacred land. Once known as mini-Kashmir, Rajpipla was also a location for shooting Gujarati-Bhojpuri films. To highlight the significance of Rajpipla, the efforts of the then Maharaja Sahib played a crucial role. He prioritized education with a focus on the tribal community. Schools, colleges, and other government offices in the Narmada and Bharuch districts continue to function in buildings gifted by the Maharaja.
Rajpipla, once known as a hub of education, was even referred to as “Mini Vidyanagar,” a legacy established and carried forward by the late Ratnasinhji Mahida. His tireless work in awakening the tribal community through fundamental education and various other fields has made an invaluable contribution. He congratulated his granddaughter, Viraj Kumari, for carrying forward her grandfather’s legacy and praised the noble work she is continuing through the initiative he had established.
In this program, the awardees, Dr. Madhukar Padvi, Vice-Chancellor of Birsa Munda Tribal University, Rajpipla, and Dr S. Prasanna Sree, from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, also presented their thoughts.
Moreover, five eminent citizens from Rajpipla who have showcased exceptional skills and brought recognition to the district at both state and national levels were honored with the support of ONGC.
This event, held at Chhotubhai Purani Degree College of Physical Education, Rajpipla, was attended by Mansukh Vasava, Member of Parliament from Bharuch, Dr. Darshanaben Deshmukh, Member of the Legislative Assembly from Nandod, Virajkumari Mahida, granddaughter of the late Ratnasinhji Mahida, prominent leader Manvendra Singh Gohil from Rajpipla, actor and former Member of Parliament Dr. Nitish Bhardwaj, dignitaries, esteemed citizens, family members of the late Ratnasinhji Mahida, royal families, and officers from the district administration. (ANI)
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