Lord Meghnad Desai to receive Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Award

Renowned UK-based economist and politician of Gujarati origin, Lord Meghnad Desai, has been selected by the Vishwa Gujarat Samaj (VGS) for being conferred with the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vishwa Pratibha Award, for his contribution to society as a Gujarati.

Gujarat Governor O P Kohli is set to present the award to Lord Desai at a ceremony here on Saturday, VGS sources said in Ahmedabad on Thursday. "This is the only award which has been named after Sardar Patel. Out of several names under consideration, our commitee selected Desai for the award. Desai was born in Gujarat in 1940. He played a key role in framing UK's economic policy and authored several books," VGS president Krishnakant Vakharia told reporters at a press conference.

In addition, VGS has also announced that the late Gujarati writer Dhirubhai Thaker is to be given the Kanjibhai Desai Gujarat Pratibha Award, posthumously. Thaker is known for creating the 'Gujarti Vishwakosh' (encyclopedia in Gujarati), Vakharia said. "Thaker was given a Padma Bhushan a year ago, for his contribution to education and literature. He died in January 2014. His son-in-law is expected to receive the award on his behalf on Saturday," Vakharia said.