Odisha-based rights activist Akhand, became Laureates of the Public Peace Prize, 2020-21 edition. He was one among the nine recipients of the international peace prize.
The Public Peace Prize team at Canada announced the winners of the 2020-21 edition on Tuesday on the occasion of the International Day of Peace. Akhand was involved deeply in campaigning where human rights are grossly violated in State. Akhand provided direct free legal assistance to victims or their family members in cases of human rights violations through direct intervention.He has filed more than 1,000 cases before NHRC or SHRC for individual victims or for the public. More than 10,000 people have benefited directly from interventions made by him. Akhand is among three Indian recipients. The others two are Shruti Nagvanshi, a Varanasi based women and child rights activist, and Dr Arjumand Zaidi, who runs a global campaign called “Peace and Tolerance through Human Rights”.