In an hour-long exclusive interview with Mr. K. Gopalakrishnan, Chief Editor&CEO of Amrita TV, Shri Hazare shares intimate details of his life in a free-wheeling chat.
Shri Anna Hazare traces his career to a stint in the army, where he witnesses all his close colleagues dying in war, and his close shave with death with a bullet grazing his forehead. He goes on to explain the path breaking influence of the teachings of Swami Vivekananda which transforms his thinking as he resolves to spend his whole life in a remote village for the public good focussing on areas of Anti-Corruption, Right to Information, Integrated Village Development, Watershed Development; now emerging as an inspiration to millions across the world.
He answers questions on why he didn't marry or why he has not visited his own home for nearly 30 years, and how he lives in a temple compound room(10 by 12 feet) with a cot, tumbler and plate as his assets, eating one meal a day. He says that the whole world without boundaries is his extended family and he is fully at peace with his inner self. He compares his life and work with the unconditional service being done by Amma for the past so many decades.
He emphasises that all the money received by way of donation goes into a separate Trust devoted to the upliftment of the underprivileged; and that he doesn't accept cash awards or recognition from an organisation which is not above board, mentioning that he had refused cash awards running into millions of rupees recently.
Shri Anna Hazare was bestowed the "Amrita TV Award for Outstanding Contribution in Social Justice,Morality & Selfless Service" at a public reception in Cochin,Kerala attended by an invited audience of 15000 persons. The award which comprised a Citation and a cash purse of Rs 2 Lakhs was presented personally to Shri Hazare by
Shri K. Sankaranarayanan, Hon’ble Governor,Maharashtra in the first week of June 2011.
By
Smitha Sivaji
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