PRAVASIBENDHU S. AHAMED SELECTED FOR INTERFAITH PEACE AWARD-2015

PRAVASIBENDHU S. AHAMED SELECTED FOR INTERFAITH PEACE AWARD-2015

Pravasibendhu S.Ahamed Selected for Interfaith Peace Award in connection with UN International Day of Peace-2015.He was born on 11th July 1951 in the village of Vallakkadavu Subaida Manzil, Trivandrum, Kerala as the son of  A.S.Hameed who was the founder and publisher of Kalapremi Daily which was started in 1961. He was born in a family of journalists. Mr.S.Ahamed is at present the Chief Editor of Pravasi Bharathi News Bulletin, a NRI Magazine published from Trivandrum since last 9 years, which is the mouth piece of NRIs all over the world. He worked in the Middle East for nearly 25 years, during which he was involved in several social and cultural activities. After returning from the Gulf, he formed All Kerala Gulf Returnees Organisation (AKGRO) in 1988 which was the first NRI Organisation in India, for which he is the founder President. As the President of AKGRO he took several measures to help the poor Gulf Returnees. Mr.Ahamed is the Chairman Of Kerala State NRIs and Gul Returnees Co-ordination Council. This council works under Kerala State NRI Co-Ordination Council with 36 NRI Organisations in Kerala and abroad.

Through Pravasi Bharathi News Bullettin Mr.Ahamed presented several problems faced by Non-Resident Keralites, to the Central as well as State Governments. He Presented Several Memoranda to the former Chief Minister of Kerala Shri.E.K.Nayanar, on 1991, as a result of which a seperate Pravasi department was formed under the Govt.of Kerala in 1996. He also met former Prime Ministers of India Shri.V.P.Singh, Shri I.K.Gujral and Shri. Attal Bihari Vaypayee and other NRI Ministers in the Govt.of India. He was admired by former President of India Smt.Prathibha Patel and President of India Sri.Pranab Mukherji also congratulates Ahamed for his mentions wale among the Pravasi’s.Since Pravasi Bharathi Divas was declared in 2002 by Vajpayee government. Mr.Ahamed is taking initiative to celebrate Pravasi Bharathi Diwas in Kerala every year. During these celebrations several NRIs from different countries are honoured with Pravasi awards. Political and social leaders, Businessmen, Educationalist and cultural activists are also honoured during Pravasi Bharathi Celebrations. Mr.Ahamed has always helped NRIs and Gulf Returnees to solve their problems abroad and in India, without expecting any monetary benefit. He is a well known writer and orator and his editorial articles in Pravasi Bharathi News Bullettin has influenced the political leaders and government employees to implement several social reforms for the welfare of the poor sections of our society. During his young age he used to participated and act in several dramas.

Pravasibandhu S.Ahamed spent nearly 30 years in the Gulf, with small break in between. While he was working in Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia, he was deeply involved in social, cultural and journalism activities. Ahamed is the founder Chief Editor of Pravasi Bharathi News Bullettin, the first NRI magazine in India.President of India Sri.Pranab Kumar Mukherjee and former President Smt.Pratibha Patel have congratulated Mr.Ahamed for his outstanding services in the Pravasi Sector. He was the main Ambassador for the family planning schemes implemented by Govt.of Kerala between 1970 and 1973. He acted in several dramas organised in connection with the family welfare schemes and also actively participated in the publicity wing of 101 days long Family Planning Camp organised by Govt.of Kerala in 1970 in Trivandrum at Tagore Sendinary Hall.Former Chief Minister of Kerala late Sri.K.Karunakaran also admired Sri.Ahamed as an amateur drama actor, when he acted as the revolutionary son in the drama “Nizhalukal Saakshikal” written by drama director and Cine actor late Sri. Vanchiyoor Madhavan Nair, through which the positive side of emergency in India in 1975 was converged to the public. He formed the first Cinema Club in Kerala in 1971 and also formed the first Film Fans Association in the name of Malayalam evergreen hero Sri.Prem Nazir in 1972.

Pravasibandhu S.Ahamed led a 12 hour fasting strike at palayam Martrys square on 9th April, 2013. to press the demands like abolition of age limit for the Pravasi Welfare Schemes, immediate implementation of rehabilitation pragrammes etc. The strike was inaugrated by opposition leader   Sri.V.S.Achuthanandan and falicitated by former ministers Sri.N.K.Premachandran, Sri. M.M.Hassan, Sri. Kadannappally Ramachaandran, Sri.M.Vijayakumar and other political leaders like Sri.Pannyan Raveendran (CPI Leader), Sri.Karamana Jayan (BJP Leader) etc. Hundreds of prominent persons from social and cultural sectors visited and felicitated on the occasion.His life partner is housewife and they got three daughters who are all married and settled in Trivandrum. Recently Mr.Ahamed organised a free medical camp in Trivanrdum which was very useful for the poor people. He was the main organizer for the renovation ceremony of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the premises of Attakulangara Central Higher Secondary School in Trivandrum city.Twenty five years of meritorious NRI organization activities recognised admired in 2012 in a programme organized by Malaysian Malayali Association in connection with the World Malayali Conference, he was honoured by giving Pravasi Bandhu Puraskaram.He got many National and International Awards. The International awards are Madhyama Retna from Pravasi Sanghamam, Dubai (2009), Garshom International award from Infromatics, Kuwait (2009), Pravasibandhu Puraskaram from All Malaysian Malayalee Association (AMMA). The National awards are Media Retna Award from Trivandrum Notary Royal (2012), Best Organizer Award from Kerala Muslim Jamath Council, Best founder of NRI Organisation award from AKGRO, Manava Seva Puraskaram from Kerala Viswakarma Cultural Centre (2013), Best leader award from INCET, Best Pratibha Puraskaram from Sahridaya Jeeva Karunya Samithi, Best Organizer of  NRI.Mr.Ahamed visited countries like Mali, Srilanka, UAE, Oman, Malaysia,Sudan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.Now working, State President of All Kerala Gulf Returnees Organization, Chief Co-ordinator of  Kerala Pravasi Bharathiya Divas, Working Chairman of Food & Pulses Suppliers Association,  Executive Member of Trivandrum Yatheem Khana (Orphanage),  Member of Rotary Club Trivandrum Royal, Member of NRI Welfare Trust Kannur,  Chairman of NRI Co-ordination Council, Kerala Region General Secretary of News Papers Federation of India, State Executive Member of Sree Narayana Sahithya Parishath, Swami Saswathikananda Charitable Foundation and Kerala State Environmental Action Council and Patron of Sahrudaya Jeeva Karunya Samithi

Prof. John Kurakar