Agape Movement has established the Good Samaritan Award to recognize outstanding social workers in India who have made significant and selfless contributions to social work. The award comprises a sum of Rs 50,000, a memento, and a certificate of honor. Kottayam Social Service Society (KSSS) is executing this project through accepting nominations, appointing an unbiased jury, and arranging an award ceremony. The Agape Movement is supporting the program.
The aim of the Good Samaritan Award is to encourage, promote, and help individuals who perform exceptional humanitarian work in India.
The Kottayam Social Service Society (KSSS), which is the Social Service department of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, organizes this award with the financial help of the Agape Movement based in the United States.
KSSS announces through mass media inviting the public to recommend individuals who have exhibited exceptional humanitarian services. An Award Committee, comprising three competent and esteemed individuals appointed by KSSS, will evaluate the applications and provide a recommendation list to KSSS. KSSS announces the winner and organizes a public function at Good Samaritan Centre Cherpunkal or at Chaithanya Auditorium.
The outcomes of this project are:
THE FIRST GOOD SAMARITAN AWARD TO DAYA BHAI
The “Good Samaritan National Award” was launched on January 29, 2012, at the Chaithanya Pastoral Centre, Thellakom, Kottayam, with the presentation of its first award by the Revenue Minister of Kerala State, Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. The recipient of the award was Mercy Mathew, who is widely known as ‘Daya Bhai.’ Hailing from Pala, she is a Malayalee who has devoted 32 years of her life to working with the tribal community in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district. She is affectionately referred to as Tinsei Ki Rani by her loved ones.
The award distribution ceremony was presided over by Archbishop of Kottayam, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt. Three individuals were acknowledged during the ceremony for their exceptional contributions. They are (1) Mr. P.U. Thomas, the leader of Nava Jeevan Trust in Kottayam, (2) Dr. Sunil M.S., Professor of Zoology at Catholicate College Pathanamthitta and NSS program coordinator of Mahatma Gandhi University, and (3) Sr. Anila Mathew F.C.C., director of Good Shepherd Health Education Centre & Dispensary in Karamadai, Coimbatore.
The jury members were: (1) Dr. K.R. Viswambharan, I.A.S., Vice Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University (Chairman), (2) Muraleedharan Thazhakkara, Program Executive of “Vayalum Veedum” program of All India Radio, (3) Dr. Raseena Padmam, head of Behavioral Science in Mahatma Gandhi University.
THE SECOND GOOD SAMARITAN AWARD TO P.U. THOMAS
Chief Minister of Kerala Mr. Oommen Chandy presented the second award to Mr. P.U. Thomas on Sunday, June 16, 2013, at Samaritan Resource Centre, Cherpunkal. Bishop Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, presided over the function.
Mr. K.M. Mani, Finance Minister of Kerala, presented the Budding Social Worker Award to Ms. Sethu Parbathy. Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister of Home Affairs presented Special Appreciation Award to Mr. Biju Varghese.
The jury members were Dr. A.V. George (Chairman), Mr. Jayaraj, film director, and Sister Thresiamma OMI, Director of Archana Women’s Centre.
THE THIRD GOOD SAMARITAN AWARD TO PADMASHREE SUDHA VARGHESE
Chief Minister of Kerala Mr. Oommen Chandy presented the third award to Padmashree Sudha Varghese at Chaithanya Auditorium, Thellakom on June 15, 2014. Sudha Varghese, popularly known as Sister Sudha, is a Catholic nun and social worker in India. She has dedicated her life to serving the Musahar, a Scheduled Caste community of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who are commonly referred to as the “untouchables”. She lives and works in Jamsaut, a village in the Patna district. Sudha is referred to as didi, a term which signifies an elder sister.
Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of Kottayam, presided over the function. Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister of forests, sports, cinema, road transport and environment presented “Prachithaka Award” to Mr. Anandhu Krishnan.
The jury members were Mr. T.K. Jose IAS, Chairman of the Coconut Development Board of India (Jury Chairman), Dr. Sheena Sukkur, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, and Mr. Muraleedharan Thazhakara, Programme Executive of All India Radio, Thiruvananthapuram.
THE FOURTH GOOD SAMARITAN AWARD TO MRS. ANNIE JOSEPH
The Fourth Good Samaritan National Award was presented to Mrs. Annie Joseph by Cardinal Mar George Alancherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, on February 14, 2017, at the Mutholath Auditorium in Cherpunkal, which was both blessed and inaugurated on that same day. Annie Joseph is the director of “Ankur Kala,” an excellent women empowerment organization in Calcutta. Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of Kottayam, presided over the function.
The jury members were Dr. Prameela Devi J., Member of State Commission for Women (Jury Convener), Mr. Muraleedharan Thazhakkara, Programme Executive, “Vayalum Veedum”, All India Radio, and Mr. P.U. Thomas, Trustee of Navajeevan Trust Kottayam.
