Millennium Award presented to C.Subramaniam

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 31. The Centenarian Trust's Millennium Award was today presented to elder Statesman, Mr.C. Subramaniam, as a recognition of his contribution to the Green Revolution.

The award comprising a medallion and a citation was presented in absentia by Mr.K. Venkataswami, a former Supreme Court Judge, as Mr Subramaniam could not attend the function for health reasons. The citation recalling his efforts in agriculture said as ``the father of India's Green revolution'' he heralded the country's efforts towards self reliance in food production and in fighting protein deficiency and hunger in developing countries in general.

Musician Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer received the Centenarian Trust's Kanchi Sri Paramacharya Award for his contribution to Carnatic music. It comprised a citation and Rs.10,000 in cash. Academician and vice chairman of the TN State Council for Higher Education, Dr.M. Anandakrishnan, was presented the ``Man of the Year Award'' (Rs.5000 in cash and a citation) for his work towards the use of Tamil in information technology.

On behalf of the Trust, ``Millennium gold medals'' were awarded to nine persons for their distinguished work in chosen fields. The awardees were former diplomat Mr.C.V. Narasimhan, agricultural scientist Dr.M.S. Swaminathan, industrialist and philanthropist Mr.M.A.M. Ramaswamy, banker Mr.Ramesh Gelli (in absentia), Ophthalmolgist Dr.S.S. Badrinath (in absentia) Diabetologist Dr.C.V. Krishnaswamy, Editor of The Hindu Mr.N. Ravi, Writer, political satirist and artiste, Mr.Cho Ramaswamy, academician Dr.Avvai Natarajan (in absentia).

While passing brief messages of greetings for the New year, Century and the new millennium, speakers including Mr.Venkataswami and the Prince of Arcot, Mr. Mohammed Abdul Ali, hoped the New year designated by U.N. as ``Year for the Culture of Peace'', would see a peaceful resolution to the hijack drama in Kandahar.

Mr.Narasimhan said, unfortunately, the U.N. could only join the ``universal condemnation'' of the act by a few outlaws who could hold a nation to ransom. He hoped that at least in the new era, such persons would receive not only universal condemnation, but retribution too.

Mr. Venkataswami and Dr.K. Venkatasubramaniam, Member, Union Planning Commission, recalling the achievements of the awardees, said the awards had been instituted in memory of the Kanchi Paramacharya. Sixty persons from different fields received the ``Seva Ratna'' awards instituted by the Centenarian Trust.

Mr.K. Santhanam, Chief Advisor, DRDO under the Defence Ministry, delivering an address on ``technology and national security in Third Millennium'', said that because of the self interest of super-powers in promoting missile and technology control regimes, India's security interests would be affected in the near future. India would have to become self-reliant in technology, specifically in defence and security related areas. New dimensions had been added to military technology, like precision striking capability and information warfare techniques, would add to the threat perceptions. India would have to develop indigenous ability at ``firewalling'' to thwart such threats.

Mr. N. Krithivasan, General Manager, Southern Railway, unveiled a portrait of the Kanchi Paramacharya.

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