Melbourne varsity presents Vishwa Manava awards

Hyderabad: St Mother Theresa University for Digital Educational Excellence and Sustainability Development, headquartered at Melbourne, Australia, conferred Global Humanitarian (Vishwa Manava) Award on one person each from three communities, Hindu, Muslim and Christian, during a programme held here on Sunday.

According to the organisers, the idea was conceptualised by the core committee members, Dr R Vijaya Saraswathy (now the Pro-Vice Chancellor), and Abdul Haleem Mohammed Ashraf, the vice-resident (operations), in the same year as per the LEMA Agreement ( Liaison Education Mass Online Open Courses Association) Switzerland.

In the first year, they honored Jaffer Sherief, former Union Minister, Dr Francis Xavier, Memory Guru of India, and Padma Shri John Ebenezer, and continued the practice. "This Year for Global Humanitarian Award 2020, the Venue was Our City of Pearls, Hyderabad. It was a delight to witness the three communities getting honored in one frame," said Dr Vijaya. The Hindu Community Award was conferred on Anantharamiah, 97. He is a strict disciplinarian and teacher. "His entire family was here to cheer him. He was a powerhouse of knowledge and energy," she noted. "The Christian Community Representative was Francis Xavier who is a retired educationist, who still donates for school fees and uniforms for underprivileged. He takes tuitions complimentary.

The Muslim honour went to the grandson of Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Najaf Ali Khan, for his exemplary philanthropy work and contribution to the society at large. The institution was very glad to honor him. The legacy of his lineage is very inspiring and powerful. Their contribution to the city of Hyderabad is phenomenal and well documented.

The university also honored dignitaries with Excellence Award, Man of Substance and Reminiscence Awards. Receiving the award, Nawab Najaf Ali said: "It gives me immense pleasure to receive the Global Humanitarian Award 2020 by the St Mother Theresa University. I'd like to quote here that Life's most persistent and urgent question is 'What are you doing for others?' As long as we think of others before ourselves, the world is a good place."