Our Mallika gets social work Oscar

It’s an honour Gujarat is proud of, bestowed as it was by a forum that is respected the world over. Amdavadi danseuse and social activist Mallika Sarabhai brought home on Monday the state’s first Crystal award from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

She is the first Gujarati to get the prestigious award. Significantly, contrary to the popular perception that she has been honoured as a dancer, Mallika has been given the award for her work as an activist. 

Other Indian names associated with the award are veteran actress Shabana Azmi, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and renowned sitar exponent Pandit Ravi Shankar.  Mallika, who is now the member of an elite community of around 2,200 people from around the world, has been invited again next year. 

Though recovering from jetlag at her home in Ahmedabad, Mallika looked visibly thrilled. “I am grateful that I can be that link between the underprivileged and the wealthier sections of society. It is very important to reach out to the less privileged people to accelerate the process of change in society as these are the people who can really make a difference. I will be the voice of several ‘unsuni’ stories of India,” she said.