Grassroots International Grantee Honored

Ravi Rebbapragada Receives National leadership Award

Ravi Rebbapragada, coordinator of Mines, Minerals & Peoples-India (MM&P), received the National leadership Award – 2008 for Community Service and Social Upliftment. MM&P is a growing alliance of communities, individuals and institutions who are concerned and affected by mining, and a grant recipient of Grassroots International through the Global Activist Fund.

Below is a press release from MM&P describing the honor:

June 12, 2009
Visakhapatnam
 
Ravi Rebbapragada Receives National leadership Award for Social Service from Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari
 Lakshmipath Singhania-IIM Lucknow National leadership Award – 2008 for Community Service and Social Upliftment was presented to Ravi Rebbapragada of NGO Samata, under the Young Leaders category. The award was given away by the honourable Vice President of India, Shri Hamid Ansari at Vignan Bhavan, New Delhi on 10th June 2009. He was selected by a jury of eminent leaders under the chairmanship of Shri K.C.Pant, from among a wide spectrum of nominees from the country.

The Award was given in recognition of his outstanding achievements, commitment and vision as “he brings hope to a large part of society for the betterment of their lives with his visionary and bold initiatives.”  At the award ceremony in the presence of many stalwarts, Shri Hariprasad Singhania, President of J.K.organisations, appreciated Mr.Ravi’s unsparing zeal and devoted hard work against all odds for delivering social justice to adivasis for their land rights. He hoped that this recognition of his meritorious achievement is an encouragement and impetus to continue the good work, enduring stature and leadership to work for the upliftment of the most deprived sections of our country.

The award comprising a trophy and a citation has been instituted by IIM, Lucknow to recognise and honour leaders and young leaders who have exhibited exceptional leadership through pursuit of excellence in community service, business and science & technology.

Speaking on the occasion Mr.Ravi Rebbapragada, Founder of Samata said “I am happy that my work with the most deprived sections of society is recognized by IIM-Lucknow and Lakshipat Sighania National Leadership Award committee consisting of eminent personalities. I dedicate this prestigious award to my parents, the tribal communities, my team members, my friends and well wishers and last but not the least my wife and children. My special thanks to Dr. EAS Sarma who found it fit to nominate me for this award.”   

The jury for the awards included personalities like K C Pant, former deputy chairman, planning commission; V Krishnamurthy, chairman, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council; K Kasturirangan, director, National Institute of Advanced Studies; Hari Shankar Singhania, president, JK Organisation; Jamshed J Irani, chairman, board of governors, IIM-L and director, Tata Sons Limited; Prof Devi Singh, director, IIM-L among others.