Governor of West Bengal M.K. Narayanan has said that the Union and State governments should examine the entire panorama of non-governmental organisations in the country and see how their talents and outreach can be utilised.
After distributing various awards instituted by the Kerala Kalakendram to Keralites who made outstanding contributions in different sectors, Mr. Narayanan said one of the great enigmas in the country was the kind of recognition, or rather, the lack of it, to NGOs, many of which were engaged in good work. However, several of them had no support from the government despite their yeoman service to society. A solution to this issue had to be evolved at the earliest.
“NGOs are an essential part of a society’s fabric and they can do many things that a government cannot,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Narayanan presented the Kalakendram’s Global Excellence Award for 2012 to senior Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church Philipose Mar Chrysostom and Al Hajri Corporation (Bahrain) chairman B. Ravi Pillai. The Golden Honour awards were presented to Castle Rock Group (Abu Dhabi) managing director Tomichan Mulakupadam and Khalid Bin Ahmed and Sons (Oman) managing director N. Surendra Kumar.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien delivered the keynote address. Former Minister M. Vijayakumar offered felicitations. Kalakendram general secretary K. Ananda Kumar spoke.