New Delhi: The President of India will present the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony to Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh; Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh); and Shri Ram Sutar Vanji for the years 2014, 2015 & 2016 respectively on 18.02.2019 at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi.
Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony was instituted by the Government of India from 2012 recognizing the contributions made by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to humanity at large with his works and ideas, as part of the Commemoration of his 150th Birth Anniversary in 2012, for promoting values of Cultural Harmony.
It is awarded annually and carries an amount of Rs. One Crore (convertible to foreign currency), a citation in a Scroll, a Plaque as well as an exquisite traditional handicraft / handloom item. The Award may be divided between two persons / institutions who are considered by the Jury to be equally deserving of recognition in a given year.
As per para 2 of Chapter VII of Code of Procedure of Tagore Award, the Jury comprises of the following persons:-
| 1. | Prime Minister of India | Chairman (ex-officio) |
| 2. | Chief Justice of India
|
Member (ex-officio) |
| 3. | Leader of the Opposition recognized as such in the Lok Sabha or where there is no such Leader of Opposition then, the Leader of the single largest opposition party in that House
|
Member (ex-officio) |
| 4. | Eminent person
|
Nominated Member |
| 5. | Eminent person
|
Nominated member |
Shri N. Gopalaswami and Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations were nominated by Chairman of the Jury i.e Prime Minister of India as members on the Jury of Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for a period of three years (16.07.2018 to 15.07.2021).
This annual award is given to individuals, associations, institutions or organizations for their outstanding contribution towards promoting values of Cultural Harmony. The Award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender. Normally, contributions made during ten years immediately preceding the nomination are considered. Older contributions may also be considered if their significance has become apparent only recently. A written work, in order to be eligible for consideration, should have been published during the last ten years. Work by a person since deceased cannot be the subject of an Award. If, however, his death occurred subsequent to a proposal having been submitted to the Jury in the manner stipulated in the Code of Procedure, then a Posthumous Award may be made.
The Ministry of Culture, Government of India invites nominations from the categories of persons/organizations in accordance with the provisions of Para I of Chapter IV of the Code of Procedure.
The First Tagore Award – 2012 was conferred upon Pt. Ravi Shankar, the Indian Sitar Maestro and the Second Award – 2013 was conferred upon Maestro Zubin Mehta.
Shri Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh); and Shri Ram Sutar Vanji have been selected for the year 2014, 2015 & 2016.
