Vincent Raj Arokiasamy, also known as A. Kathir, founder of Evidence, an NGO based from Madurai, has been awarded the Council of Europe’s Raoul Wallenberg Prize, a release from the Council said on Monday.
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The award recognises his determination and persistence in bringing a meaningful change in the lives of the Dalits.
“Vincent Raj Arokiasamy has risked his life to help an exceptionally disadvantaged part of the Indian population whose plight is often ignored by national and international communities. In defending human rights with incredible commitment and resilience, his courageous actions for the so-called “untouchables” fully reflect the spirit and values of the Raoul Wallenberg prize”, said Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Mr Vincent Raj Arokiasamy has rescued some 25,000 victims in 3,000 incidents of human rights violations, sheadded.
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The award ceremony will take place on Wednesday and will be live streamed. January 17 marks the anniversary of Raoul Wallenberg’s arrest in Budapest in 1945. The Swedish diplomat used his status to save tens of thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. His actions show that one person’s courage and ability can really make a difference. Starting in 2014, as an initiative of the Swedish Government and the Hungarian Parliament, the Council of Europe has created the Raoul Wallenberg Prize to keep the memory of his achievements alive. The Prize, worth €10,000, is awarded every two years in recognition of extraordinary humanitarian achievements by a single individual, a group of individuals or an organisation, the release said.