Periyar was initially an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhi from the very inception of the Non-Cooperation Movement as he was aware of the narrow social base of the Congress and the dominance of lawyers within it before Gandhi took charge. The advent of Gandhi was significantly transformative as his political and social activities were such that everyone could participate and his principles could ‘be understood by all‘. The atavistic orientation of Gandhian principles like khadi, prohibition and abolition of untouchability were refreshingly new and novel
The awards aim to recognise the efforts of those unsung heroes who have been working tirelessly towards rural development following the philosophy of Jamnalal Bajaj and Gandhian ideologies