In this materialistic age characterised by impatience, stress and selfishness, humanity continues to sustain and goodness remains because some individuals institutionalise the virtues of kindness, compassion and giving. Such people and institutions alleviate sufferings from the face of earth by their sacrifices and leading a life dedicated to the cause of humanity.
The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar is an example in this point. This world's largest anthropology laboratory is the face of emerging and rising nation. It's the first exclusive tribal Deemed to be University that provides education and comprehensive development to 27,000 indigenous tribal children free of cost. 10,000 students have already passed out and work in respectable positions. It seeks to spread message of peace by removing intergenerational poverty, hunger and illiteracy and other difficulties tribal people face at grassroots.
The KISS seeks to recognise distinguished people for yeomen humanitarian services through a KISS Humanitarian Award initiated in 2008 to recognise and felicitate individuals for exemplary and distinguished service to humanity across the globe. The award comprising a citation and a gold plated trophy that depicts a great social message has attained much covetousness over the years and has attracted the attention of the domestic and international media. The award has also got international acclaim because of its past recipients who have rendered service to humanity par excellence. In its course from 2008, there have been awardees from five continents, and a Nobel laureate.
The trophy with a golden shine structurally comprises a pair of hands upholding a heart that bears multitude of waving hands. The pair of hands in the upholding gesture and a large heart represents compassionate service to humanity providing power, knowledge, and capacity to a multitude of hapless hands around the globe. The presence of hands symbolise work (Karma), fate, blessings, destiny and felicitation while the single pair of hands upholding the heart depict how by art of giving a pair of dedicated hands can really make a great difference in the lives of the helpless. The shining golden colour of the trophy stands for purity, altruism, prosperity and hope.
Men and women of great prominence and contribution have been awarded with the award. In the year 2008, the award was conferred on Madam Edna Bomo Molewa, former Premier of North-Western State of South Africa and the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. Dr Ham-Kee-Sun, President of Hanseo University, an outstanding ophthalmologist of South Korea and Mr Anerood Jugnauth, President of the Republic of Mauritius, received the award in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The past recipients of the award are Rt Hon lord Justice Nicholas Addison Phillips, President of the Supreme Court of UK in 2011, lyonchhen Jigmiy Thinley, Prime Minister of Bhutan in 2012, Madam Albina Du Boisrouvray, Founder FXB International, Switzerland in 2013, Ms Anne Margaret Fagertun Stenhammer, Regional Director of UN Women for South Asia in 2014 and Dr Alejandro Toledo, Former President of Peru in 2015. Ms Ashley Judd, UNFPA Global Goodwill Ambassador, was conferred with the same in 2016.
The prestigious award for 2018 was conferred on Dr Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, on May 11. Dr Yunus, fondly referred to as the 'Banker to the Poor' and father of Microfinance, propelled the most destitute into better lives in Bangladesh. His work began during the Bangladesh famine of 1974 when he sowed the seed of one of the greatest social innovations of our time. With 97% women borrowers and near zero default, the Grameen Bank has proved the conventional bankers and skeptics wrong. His model has now been successfully replicated in more than 100 countries. His recent work focuses on achieving zero illiteracy, poverty and hunger, which are very similar to the goals the KISS has been espousing for the last 26 years. Recognitions like the Nobel Peace Prize (2006), Ramon Magsaysay Award (1984), the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States Congressional Gold Medal and more than 55 honorary degrees from universities across 20 countries stand testimony to his conviction, courage and concern for the poor. He is the second Nobel Prize winner to receive this award after His Holiness The Dalai lama in 2017. He launched his new book “The world of three zeroes” in Bhubaneswar. An MoU was signed between KISS and Yunus Centre for Social Business for to harness the power of social business to eliminate poverty.
Such bright examples for the mankind are recognised and felicitated by the KISS, an institution that has turned into a revolution and agent of change, transforming the lives of millions and has done a performed greater assignment on humanitarian grounds. Every act of kindness creates a ripple effect that spreads from person to person with no end in sight because kindness is contagious like a disease in which the outcome is divinely beautiful. Recognising and awarding such deeds of kindness is a mechanism to let this value survive for the betterment of the society.
(Dr Samanta is Founder, KIIT & KISS)
