Further to my post on Fr Cedric Prakash, I may add that he is revered and respected among the victims of the Gujarat carnage, the downtrodden and marginalised. He is also recognised, appreciated and honoured by the larger civil society cutting across religious lines and national and international boundries besides the government and Minority Commision.
He was awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d' Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour), one of the highest French civilian awards, acknowledging his commitment to the defence and the promotion of Human Rights in India. Other than this, Fr. Prakash has also been awarded numerous other awards - the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award presented for Humanitarian Work by the Indian Muslim Council, USA in 2003, the Kabir Puraskar conferred on him by the President of India <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_India> for his work in the promotion of Communal Harmony and Peace in 1995, and the Minorities Rights Award by the National Commission for Minorities of the Government of India <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_India> in 2006. Similarly, the work of Medha Patkar has been recognised and appreciated where it matters most – among the displaced, the marginalised and the poor. Medha Patkar is one of the recipients of Right Livelihood Award<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Livelihood_Award>for the year 1991. She received the 1999 M.A.Thomas National Human Rights Award from Vigil India Movement<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigil_India_Movement>. She has also received numerous other awards, including the Deena Nath Mangeshkar Award<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deena_Nath_Mangeshkar_Award&action=edit&redlink=1>, Mahatma Phule Award<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mahatma_Phule_Award&action=edit&redlink=1>, Goldman Environment Prize<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldman_Environment_Prize>, Green Ribbon Award<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Ribbon_Award&action=edit&redlink=1>for Best International Political Campaigner by BBC <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC>, and the Human Rights Defender's Award<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Human_Rights_Defender%27s_Award&action=edit&redlink=1>from Amnesty International <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesty_International>. She was also a Commissioner to the World Commission on Dams<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Commission_on_Dams> . There are many others like Harsh Mander, former IAS officer, RB Sreekumar, former IPS officer, Mihir Desai, Mallika Sarabhai and Teesta Setalvad who have stood up for truth and justice at great personal cost. I salute such persons and I am proud to be counted among their well wishers. Regards, Marshall