Mumbai: The SIES Kanchi Seer Awards, a prestigious recognition in the field of education and leadership, were presented to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar. This year, the 27th edition of the awards ceremony was held on Saturday at the Shanmukhananda Sabha Auditorium in Mumbai.
As Dr Jaishankar was overseas, he could not attend the event. However, in a video message, Dr Jaishankar stressed that India could never allow others to veto its choices and that it would do whatever was right in the national interest and for the global good without being intimidated into conforming.
“Independence should never be confused with neutrality. We will do whatever is right in our national interest and for the global good without being intimidated to conform. In a world facing unhealthy habits, stressed lifestyles, and recurring climate challenges, India’s heritage offers valuable lessons,” Jaishankar said. He added, “But the world will only recognise this when Indians take pride in their own culture.”
Stressing the importance of harmonising tradition with technology in the age of globalisation, he said, “Bharat will inevitably progress, but it must do so without losing its Bharatiyata. Only then can we truly emerge as a leading power in a multi-polar world.”
The award, which recognises excellence in Public Leadership, Community Leadership, Human Endeavour, Science & Technology, and Social Leadership, with a focus on spiritualism, is named after the 68th Seer of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi, a testament to the diverse contributions to society.
Among the other distinguished awardees were Dr R.V. Ramani, a renowned ophthalmologist and the founder of the Sankara Eye Foundation, Dr Govindarajan Padmanaban, a leading scientist from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and social sector leader Dr R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal.
Dr V. Shankar, president of the SIES, presided over the awards ceremony, presenting each recipient with the prestigious SIES Kanchi Seer Award. The award, a symbol of excellence and leadership, includes a cash prize of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, a citation, a shawl, and a brass lamp.
