Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh awarded Indira Gandhi peace prize. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) 280818 Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh awarded Indira Gandhi peace prize. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) 280818

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday called Manmohan Singh as the ‘epitome of humility’, as the former prime minister was conferred with the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, disarmament and development for 2017. “Dr. Manmohan Singh’s demeanour is such that it appears he was born wise. In his decade-long Prime Ministerial tenure, India recorded its highest economic growth rate ever. He became PM when the country was on edge and within months, his policies had a profound calming effect,” Sonia Gandhi was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Delhi-based environment think-tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) will be honoured with the prize this year. CSE was awarded the prestigious award for advocating measures to combat environmental deterioration and for its success in influencing public policies and programmes that have benefitted social and economic development in India, PTI reported. “Its steadfast advocacy of measures to combat environmental deterioration and for its success in influencing public policies and programmes that have benefitted social and economic development in India,” Director General, CSE, Sunita Narain said.

Established in 1980, the peace prize is awarded annually by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust to organisations and individuals in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order, ensuring that scientific discoveries are used for the larger good of humanity, and enlarging the scope of freedom. The last two recipients have been the Indian Space Research Organisation and the UN High Commission for Refugees.

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leaders including party president Rahul Gandhi visited the Shakti Sthal and paid their tributes to Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary.

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