FIJI Labour Party leader and former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry has been chosen as the 2018 recipient of the prestigious Krishna Menon Award. The award was announced by the director of the VK Krishna Menon Institute in London, Dr Cyriac Maprayil in recognition of Mr Chaudhry’s contribution to the Indian diaspora.
Mr Chaudhry said the award came as a surprise for him.
“I had no knowledge of being chosen as a recipient until contacted by the director of the VK Krishna Menon Institute, Dr Cyriac Maprayil last week,” he said.
“I feel honoured but also humbled by the fact that I will join such great luminaries as former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan who was the fi rst recipient of the Krishna Menon Awar
launched in 2008.
“I have enjoyed serving the Indian diaspora and hope that my contribution has been of some benefit to our people.”
He said a lot more needed to be done in the sphere of human rights to secure real equality and human dignity for members of the Indian diaspora and their descendants.
“However, I wish to emphasise that my work in this area is driven by my commitment to human rights and social justice which impacts on the lives of all the people regardless of ethnicity,” he added.
