Mangaluru, January 27: Prof Narendra Nayak, renowned rationalist and consumer rights activist will be awarded the “Lawrence Pinto Human Rights Award”, which is instituted this year by ‘Friends of Lawry’.
Eric Ozario, secretary- Friends of Lawry, announced this at a press meet organized here on Tuesday January 27th.
“Lawrence Pinto sacrificed his life towards the service of the working class and the downtrodden. ‘Friends of Lawry’ with the intention of commemorating his memory, have decided to institute the Lawrence Pinto Human Rights award,” informed Ozario.
The jury comprising of Dr John Fernandes, Prof Sunney Tharappan, Dr Ravishankar Rao and the committee of Friends of Lawry have unanimously choosen the eminent rationalist and consumer protection activist Prof Narendra Nayak to receive the first award, he said.
The award presenting ceremony will be held at Kalaangann on Saturday January 31st at 5.30 pm. The award will be presented by Dr S Settar, a distinguished historian and former director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, SRC and former chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research.
Loy Noronha, chairman- Friends of Lawry, Walter Veigas, treasurer, Louis Pinto, joint treasurer, and Prem Tellis, Executive committee member Friends of Lawry were present during the press release.
About Dr Narendra Nayak:
Born on January 5th, 1951, Prof Narendra Nayak is an eminent rationalist, sceptic, godman debunker and consumer protection activist from Mangaluru.
He is the current president of the Federation of Indian rationalist association (FIRA). He founded the Dakshina Kannada rationalist association in 1976 and has been its secretary since then. He also found an NGO called aid without religion in July 2011.He tours the country conducting workshops to promote scientific temper and showing people how to debunk godmen and frauds. He has conducted over 2000 such demonstrations in India, including some in Australia, Greece and England. He is also polyglot who speaks 9 languages fluently, which helps him when he is giving talks in various parts of the country.
He is the convener of consumer’s education trust of Mangaluru. He has served as the director of Karnataka consumer protection board for 2 terms.
He has published and edited Balakedarara chalavala. His publications include ‘Pavada Rahasya Bayalu’, ‘Balakedarare Yechetukolli’ and ‘Battle against Supernatural’.
His interview had even appeared in the French satirical magazine ‘Charlie Hebdo’ in September 2013.
