Nandan Nilekani wins Sir MV memorial award, leaders recall a unique legacy

To the background of classical Carnatic music, a red shawl was wrapped around Nandan Nilekani, chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He was then garlanded, made to wear a Mysore peta, gifted with a memento, citation and a fruit bowl.

This is how Nilekani was awarded the 12th Sir M Visvesvaraya Memorial Award on Founder’s Day, organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) to mark the birth anniversary of Sir M Visvesvaraya.

“It’s an extraordinary honour to be given this award; it’s even more special because I am receiving this on the 150th birth anniversary of Sir MV,” said Nilekani. He said it’s impossible to travel around without seeing the stamp left by Sir M Visvesvaraya on Karnataka and the country. “During one of my travels to Raipur in Chattisgarh for the UIDAI, I saw a statue of Sir MV. This gave me a sense of his reach and the object of admiration that Sir MV was,” Nilekani said.
Veerappa Moily, Union minister for law and justice, praised Nilekani as the son of the soil and said he was about to revolutionise the way we live our lives. There are many values to imbibe from Sir MV’s life, but the greatest curse of this generation is sloth, Moily said, adding that he would work to expedite justice for those who approach the courts. “There will be courts for different areas; tech courts, e-courts, etc,” he said.
Lokayukta justice Santosh Hegde said, “When Sir MV retired as Dewan, the government offered him a post to stay on in the Balabrooie guest house. Sir MV declined. Today..., ” His audience chuckled.