M A I N   N E W S

Mandela gets Gandhi Peace Prize

New Delhi, March 16
Hailed as “a hero of our times” and “Gandhian of our era”, former South African President Nelson Mandela was today honoured with the Gandhi Peace Prize by President K.R. Narayanan who said the fighter against apartheid had led his country “out of the bitterness of the past” in a truely Gandhian manner.

Presenting the prestigious award for 2000 to Mr Mandela and the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Mr Narayanan said the South African leader adopted the Gandhian principle in reconciling the nation after the victory against apartheid.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee welcomed Mr Mandela as “a hero of our times” and said he was a crusader of the ideals of Gandhi who led India’s powerful struggle against the mightiest world empire of those times.

He said while Mr Mandela had successfully fought apartheid, the Grameen Bank “abolished financial apartheid” in Bangladesh by aiming to free micro-credit from the “bondage of collateral” and empowering the poorest of the poor.

On receipt of the award, Mr Mandela said India, which was “a home away from home” for him, had taught several lessons on democracy, development and tolerance to their nation. PTI