Kalam, Hegde to donate award money for social causes
Former president A P J Abdul kalam, former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde and social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday announced that they would donate the money received from the Sitaram Jindal Foundation for “exemplary service to humankind,” to social organisations.
Kalam, Justice Hegde and Heggade received prize money of Rs 1 crore each. Kalam who was conferred the award in the field of science and technology, said he would donate the money to four social welfare organisations while Justice Hegde, who was honoured for his work in social development noted that he would contribute the money to the Sainik Welfare Fund.
Veerendra Heggade, who was feted for health care, including drugless healing, said he would plough back the money in his group institution, the SDM College, Ujire in Karnataka, while Hazare said his award money of Rs 25 lakh would go to Hind Swaraj Trust based in his village Ralegaon Siddi in Maharashtra.
Utthan, which promotes social justice through empowerment of people in three northern states and Rishi Valley Education Centre of Andhra Pradesh were among those who won awards.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Hegde said whatever he did as judge or Lokayukta was within the parameters of law and that he never went out of the framework of law. “If others do what I could do, they can also win this award,” he opined. Hazare said he always verified the background of the organisation and the organisers before accepting an award from them.
Veerendra Heggade said he was inspired by the Jindal Naturopathy institute started in Bangalore several decades ago, which made him launch one such in Dharmasthala, the small temple town in Dakshina Kannada district doing yeomen work in the fields of education and health.
