Senior journalist Ram Bahadur Rai to be the 22nd recipient of Hindi Ratna Samman
Senior journalist Ram Bahadur Rai to be the 22nd recipient of Hindi Ratna Samman
By Shri Ram Shaw
New Delhi, July 26 (HS): “Honour is the reward of virtue.” The saying aptly fits for Ram Bahadur Rai, a renowned journalist and president of Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts, who has been chosen for this year’s prestigious Hindi Ratna Samman for his relentless services in the field of Hindi journalism.
Rai, who is also the Group Editor of Hindusthan Samachar, will be the 22nd recipient of this Award to be conferred upon him on 1st of August at Hindi Bhawan Auditorium, New Delhi. He will be given a sum of one lakh rupees, citation, shawl, shrifal and statue of Vagdevi.
Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ will be the chief guest at the event. Achyutanand Mishra, member, Board of Directors, Hindusthan Samachar; Prof Govind Vyas, secretary, Hindi Bhawan; Triloki Nath Chaturvedi, former Home Secretary, Govt of India, and ex-governor of Karnataka; and several other dignitaries will grace the occasion.
Reacting to his selection for this Award, Rai told this correspondent, “I don’t consider myself worthy enough for this coveted award. Had I been asked, I could have easily told them numerous deserving names for this samman. But, the moment I got the letter from Triloki Nath Chaturvedi, president of Hindi Bhawan, I simply couldn’t refuse as it offers me an opportunity to represent the neglected world of Hindi.”
It may be recalled that Triloki Nath Chaturvedi, who also donned the chair of CAG, hogged the limelight when he audited the infamous Bofors deal.
Hindi Ratna Samman is generally conferred upon any non-Hindi speaking person/ littérateur for his/her contribution in official language Hindi. This annual award is given by the Hindi Bhavan in the memory of Pt Bhimsen Vidyalankar.
Last year, 21st Hindi Ratna Samman was given to well-known writer Arvind Kumar on the occasion of Rajarshi Purushottam Tandon Jayanti. He is also a translator, poet and journalist. He is also the author of Hindi Samanantar Kosh. He has also been awarded the Shalaka Samman, Subrahmanyam Bharti Award, Akhil Bharatiya Hindi Seva Samman.
