SHILLONG: Several personalities were recently felicitated and awarded as part of the 165th birth anniversary celebration of mystic, saint, philosopher and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.
The programme was organised by city-based socio cultural organization Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Centre (SNGCC) during its 15th annual celebrations held at the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture in the city recently. Wansuk Syiem, Rajya Sabha member attended the programme as the chief guest.
Sathyabai Sivadas, former lecturer in English from Government Degree Colleges of undivided Andhra Pradesh and founder of Guru Dharma Pracharana Sabha (GDPS), Hyderabad was felicitated for her rich contributions in organizing national and international seminars, inter-religious meets, conferences and teachings of the Guru. She has authored several books and translated several works of the Guru.
Mariakutty Joseph, former principal of the degree college at Gajwel, Telangana under Andhra Pradesh Government Educational Service was felicitated for her outstanding contribution in disseminating the life and teachings of Sree Narayana Guru through various mediums. She is a translator of several of Sree Narayana Guru’s compositions and literature for Sivagiri Mutt and has prepared a CD on the life and teachings of the Guru for secondary and higher secondary students.
The editor of Oneness, a quarterly magazine published by SNGCC, Rajiv Roy, was honoured for his contributions to the magazine since its inception. Rajiv is also associated with print and online media outlets in the region.
Meanwhile, four SNGCC awards were conferred upon selected individuals.
The Sree Narayana Guru Entrepreneurship Award, 2018 was awarded to West Khasi Hills-based industrialist Wenderly Marwein for his entrepreneurial venture of a mineral water plant named umRupa.
His venture is providing employment to the rural youth of the state and is eyeing expansion. He is producing mineral water cans of various capacities and his products are selling in various parts of the state.
Former defence personnel and general secretary, Meghalaya Poorva Sainik Seva Parishad, Poorva Sainik Anand Kumar Thapa was conferred with the Sree Narayana Guru Social Service Award for his efforts in welfare activities to ex-servicemen, their widows, dependents, general public including the financially handicapped ladies by way of free vocational training courses and making them ready for jobs.
His dedication in providing livelihood opportunities by imparting training modules and making the female section of society, self-dependent, makes him the harbinger of women empowerment.
Mawkynrew based educationist Skoi Nongspung and Meris Nongspung were jointly awarded the Sree Narayana Guru Education/Literary Award for their service in providing free education to the economically weaker sections of society.
Skoi established the Nongspung-Mawria Secondary School along with his sister in 2000.
Youth champion from Arunachal Pradesh Sathyanarayanan Mundayoor, was awarded the Sree Narayana Guru Lifetime Achievement Award for his efforts in youth development activities among the tribals of Arunachal Pradesh.
He has also served as an education officer in the prestigious VKV Group of Schools and is an accomplished writer. His efforts in disseminating education through its various wings in this remote part of the country for the last thirty nine years have been hailed.
