Offering an Ode to Mahatma Gandhi & Peace, Bharat Nirman Foundation’s 8th Asiad Literature Festival has gone international this year. As Champaran Satyagraha movement and Gandhi ji’s Sabarmati Ashram complete their centenary year, an event was held on 16th June 2018 at the Indian Consulate Auditorium-Dubai – where multi-sessions were held on topics connected with Interfaith, Prose & Poetry, Role of Women in Development.

 

India’s Consul General, Vipul, participated in the event with great zeal and gave away awards to persons who have excelled in their creative fields or business.  The awards went to eminent Emiratis, Indian expatriates in Dubai, and Indians.

 

Gandhi Peace Honor (2018) went to H.E. Mirza Al Sayegh (from Dubai) and Ms. Kiran Chopra (from India), respectively.

 

Among other awardees, Surender Singh Kandhari was recognized for his role in Interfaith.  Dr. Harshad R. Mehta for Philanthropy & Lubna Qassim for Advocacy to Governance and Diversity. Lubna Qassim was a Panelist for Role of Women in Development. 

 

Guest of Honor and Panelist for the Interfaith session, Member of Parliament from India – Ashwini Chopra (Senior Journalist, Resident Editor, Punjab Kesari-Delhi), gave an impressive account of his journeys to places associated with Gandhi ji, and which ultimately impacted to make international history.  In this centenary year, Ashwini Kumar has visited Durban, Champaran, Sabarmati, Porbunder.  Other Panelists on board were Dr. Harshad R. Mehta and Surender Singh Kandhari.

 

Importantly, the session on Interfaith was very well received by the audience. 

 

I had the good fortune to be an awardee recipient for Literary Excellence Honour (2018) in Prose & Poetry.

 

I moderated the Interfaith session.