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Ahimsa Award

{{short description|Annual Jain award}}

{{Jainism}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

The Ahimsa Award is an annual award given by the Institute of Jainology in recognition of individuals who embody and promote the principles of ahimsa (nonviolence). It was established in 2006 and has since been awarded at the annual Ahimsa Day event, on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.{{cite journal|last=Banks|first=Marcus|title=Organizing Jainism in India and England|journal=Oxford Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology Series|date=1992|volume=3|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford, UK}}

The event is normally held at the Palace of Westminster—House of Commons of the United Kingdom, in London, where various members of parliament are invited to speak.{{cite web|title=Jon Ashworth MP spoke at the Ahimsa Day celebrations in London|url=http://www.jonashworth.org/jon_ashworth_news_10_12.html|access-date=31 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144120/http://www.jonashworth.org/jon_ashworth_news_10_12.html|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=dead}} It is bestowed by the directors of the Institute of Jainology, an international body based in the UK, representing the Jain faith.{{cite web|title=Directors of the Institute of Jainology|url=http://www.jainology.org/contact-us/}}

Ahimsa Day

Ahimsa Day was established by the Institute of Jainology{{cite web|last=Balbir|first=Nalini|title=Ahimsa Day|url=http://jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/ahimsa-day.html}} and has been celebrated annually{{cite web|title=Historic Day for Jain-Catholic Relations|url=http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/Home/News/2012/April-June/Historic-Day-for-Jain-Catholic-Relations|publisher=The Catholic Church in England and Wales}} in London since 2002.{{cite web|last=Balbir|first=Nalini|title=Ahimsa Day|url=http://www.jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/ahimsa-day.html|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303210655/http://www.jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/ahimsa-day.html|archive-date=3 March 2015|url-status=dead}} It was created to bring awareness of Ahimsa (nonviolence) as it applies in Jainism. The event takes place in early October to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,{{cite web|last=Rao |first=M.S. |title=Messenger of Non-Violence and World Peace |url=http://www.unpost.org/gandhi-messenger-non-violence-world-peace/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005023547/http://www.unpost.org/gandhi-messenger-non-violence-world-peace/ |archivedate=5 October 2013 }} who, amongst other great leaders, was inspired by the Jain philosophy of ahimsa.{{cite web|title=Jainism - Only One Way Out|url=http://www.india-religion.net/jainism.html|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022073122/http://www.india-religion.net/jainism.html|archive-date=22 October 2014|url-status=dead}} In 2007, the United Nations declared that the International Day of Non-Violence would take place on 2 October.

History and background

Ahimsa, the "principle of nonviolence", is a concept adopted by most Indic religious traditions, primarily Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain. The political and social application of ahimsa was given universal recognition by Mahatma Gandhi, who fought the campaign for the independence of India with the doctrine of ahimsa as the cornerstone.Anthony Pare, Lexington Books, 2000 "Gandhi, Freedom, and Self-Rule"

Ahimsa in Jainism is a well-established core principle even before the time of Mahavira, the 24th Thirthankara in the 5th century BCE.Goyala, Śrīrāma (1987). "A history of Indian Buddhism". Kusumanjali Prakashan. pp. 83–85. The principle of Ahimsa in Jainism states that one should do no harm by word, thought, or deed, nor ask others to, and nor condone that which is done.{{cite book|last=Jaini|first=Padmanbh S|title=The Jaina Path of Purification|year=1998|publisher=Motilal Banarsidas|isbn=8120815785}}

Past winners

{{Incomplete list|date=October 2023}}

  • 2006 Nelson Mandela{{cite web|title=First IOJ Ahimsa Award given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela|url=http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18158|publisher=Phayul.com|access-date=16 March 2013|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714145150/http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18158|url-status=dead}}
  • 2007 Dalai Lama{{cite web|title=Awards and Honours 2000 – 2013 |url=http://www.dalailama.com/biography/awards-honors |publisher=The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010231826/http://www.dalailama.com/biography/awards-honors |archivedate=10 October 2011 }}Report by Office of Tibet, London [http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18158&t=1 "First IOJ Ahimsa Award given to the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715103200/http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18158&t=1 |date=15 July 2014 }}, Tuesday, 9 October 2007
  • 2008 Acharya Mahaprajna{{cite web|title=H.H. Acharya Mahapragya Honoured with IOJ Ahimsa Award 2008|url=http://www.jainvishwabharati.org/newsletter/JVB%20International%20Reflections-14.pdf|work=Page 6}}{{cite news|title=JVB London Salutes Ahimsa Award 2008 Recipient HH Acharya}}{{cite web|title=HH Acharya Mahapragya Honoured with IOJ Ahimsa Award 2008 in London|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=66271|publisher=herenow4u}}
  • 2009 Padmanabh Jaini{{cite web|title=Prof. Padmanabh Jaini CV Berkeley, Fellowships, Awards, Honours|url=http://sseas.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/faculty/cv_jaini.pdf|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-date=22 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222201600/http://sseas.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/faculty/cv_jaini.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=About Padmanabh Jaini|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=62442&tt_address_pi1%5Buid%5D=62&cHash=10b37d3eab}}
  • 2010 Nalini Balbir{{cite news|title=Ahimsa Day celebrated in the Parliament|url=http://issuu.com/abpl/docs/av_6nov2010/13|newspaper=Asian Voice|date=6–12 November 2010}}{{cite web|title=The Annual Mahavir Jayanti Lecture|url=http://www.herenow4u.net/index.php?id=91201|work=Prof. Balbir, Winner of the Ahimsa Award 2010}}
  • 2011 Nitin Mehta{{cite web|title=Nitin Mehta Receives Prestigious Ahimsa Award |url=http://www.youngindianvegetarians.co.uk/news.htm |publisher=Young Indian Vegetarians |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130202324/http://www.youngindianvegetarians.co.uk/news.htm |archivedate=30 November 2012 }}
  • 2012 Scott Neeson{{cite web|title=CCF Founder Scott Neeson Honoured with 2012 AHIMSA Award|url=https://www.ccf-australia.org/recent-news-list/252-ccf-founder-scott-neeson-honoured-with-2012-ahimsa-award.html|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-date=26 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026153131/https://www.ccf-australia.org/recent-news-list/252-ccf-founder-scott-neeson-honoured-with-2012-ahimsa-award.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Scott Neeson Founder at Cambodian Children's Fund, Honours and Awards|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pub/scott-neeson/13/741/30a}}
  • 2013 Melanie Joy{{cite web|title=Animal Rights Activist Receives Non-Violence Award|url=http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=6292&catId=8|publisher=Veg News}}{{cite web|title=Carnism Awareness and Action Network, Dr Melanie Joy, Founder President|url=http://www.carnism.org/2012-05-15-16-41-47/27-bios/37-about-dr-melanie-joy|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-date=6 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406225910/http://www.carnism.org/2012-05-15-16-41-47/27-bios/37-about-dr-melanie-joy|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Incorporating Compassion for Farmed Animals|url=http://www.forksoverknives.com/author/melaniejoy/|publisher=Forks over Knives}}
  • 2014 Ingrid Newkirk{{cite web|last1=Vegans|first1=Jain|title=Recent Jain Vegan News 2014|url=http://groupspaces.com/JainVegans/emails/487971|website=Jain Vegans: GroupSpaces|publisher=Jain Vegans UK|access-date=31 May 2015|archive-date=6 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406230011/http://groupspaces.com/JainVegans/emails/487971|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last1=Jainology|first1=Institute of|title=Institute of Jainology celebrates 13th Ahimsa Day at the House of Commons|url=http://www.jainology.org/2690/ahimsa-day-celebration-at-the-house-of-commons/|website=Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2015 Charles, Prince of Wales{{Cite web|url=http://www.jainology.org/hrh-the-prince-of-wales-welcome-and-ahimsa-award-citation/|title = HRH the Prince of Wales – Welcome and Ahimsa Award Citation – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2015 Ann Cotton{{Cite web|url=http://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2015-house-of-commons/|title = Ahimsa Day 2015 at the House of Commons – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2016 Rajendra Singh{{Cite web|url=http://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2016/|title = Ahimsa Day 2016 – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2017 Ravinder Singh{{Cite web|url=http://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2017/|title = Ahimsa Day 2017 – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2018 Shantilal Mutha{{Cite web|url=http://www.jainology.org/16th-annual-ahimsa-day-celebration/|title=16th Annual Ahimsa Day Celebration at the House of Commons – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2020 Peter Tabichi{{Cite web|url=https://www.jainology.org/ahimsaday2020/|title = Ahimsa Day 2020 Saturday, 24th October 2020 – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2021 Satish Kumar{{Cite web|url=https://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2021-virtual-event/|title = Ahimsa Day 2021 October, 2nd – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2022 Kumarpal Desai{{Cite web|url=https://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2022-at-the-house-of-commons/|title = Ahimsa Day 2022 November, 16th – Institute of Jainology}}
  • 2023 Jasvant Modi{{Cite web|url=https://www.jainology.org/ahimsa-day-2023-at-the-house-of-commons/|title=Ahimsa Day 2023 at the House of Commons}}{{Cite web|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/dr-jasvant-modi-pledges-13-062812873.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABUEdMBk0VizLBigkXVk6KBIDxzPWq-Gga7z23ztuKELIk14-Uf5X6xpn5WAwE79iXJVwQYa78fH2Ooll09rJcINnTtFXlRl3i1zAZPc0isYA2CPHrLgY0CT_ZK7zjbOr7TgAgEjSP3Uaa3vFQIznH19XN_Luljz3i6TkDJ3lNOd |title=Dr. Jasvant Modi Pledges $13 Million to Establish Jain Studies in Higher Education}}
  • 2024 Surendra Patawari{{Cite web|url=https://www.jainology.org/21st-annual-ahimsa-day-celebration-at-the-house-of-commons/|title=Ahimsa Day 2024 at the House of Commons}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/people/surendra-patawari/|title=Mr. Surendra Patawari, founder and chairman of Gemini Corporation}}

References

{{reflist|2}}

External links

  • {{official|jainology.org}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20150303210655/http://www.jainpedia.org/themes/practices/festivals/ahimsa-day.html Ahimsa Day] on Jainpedia (archived)

{{Jainism topics}}

Category:Jainism and society

Category:Awards established in 2006

Category:Nonviolence

Category:Humanitarian and service awards