Venerable Members of the Clergy, Dr. Ariyaratne, Mr. Gunasinghe, distinguished award winners whom we felicitate today, dear friends..

It is indeed a genuine privilege and honour to be present here today in the midst of so many distinguished men and women who have made service to their fellow human beings a sacred cause. That is indeed the mission of Sarvodaya, an institution whose cause we celebrate here today, and its founder Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, a legend in his own lifetime, who has fought relentlessly to further the cause of social justice and the removal of discrimination and divisiveness in society. Since 1969, when he won the Magsaysay Award, Dr. Ariyaratne's has been a household name in Asia, and his receipt of the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Jamnalal Bajaj Award is a reflection of the high esteem and regard with which he is held in all of India.

Sarvodaya - the name evokes hope, the awakening of all as its literal translation suggests. "Awakening" is a term that has been the goal of philosophers since the dawn of history. Awakening, in the sense of awakening from ignorance to awareness and knowledge, awakening in the sense of being sensitive to the sufferings of your fellow men and women, awakening to the true meaning of life - a meaning that you can achieve only when you are willing to be the change you want to see around you, as Gandhiji once said.

How many of us are truly awake? We all go about our daily activities thinking that we are awake but do we really know the meaning of the state of true awakening? I think we should seek that meaning through understanding in depth the mission of Sarvodaya, acquainting ourselves with the life's mission of Dr. Ariyaratne and his wonderful family, particularly Mrs. Ariyaratne who is here in the audience, and his vision for peace and development of all sections of Sri Lankan society regardless of language, religion or ethnicity.

In Dr. Ariyaratne, we have a man, who like it was said of Mahatma Gandhi, is able to to voice the sentiments of his country's culture and ethos as probably no one else can do. Even in today's age of information and communication technology, Dr. Ariyaratne's is the genuine voice of his people in so many ways. He is the soul of simplicity, claiming no exclusive validity for his creed or religion - because we know that all religions aim at the same goal of the inner life, the inner truth. And, Dr. Ariyaratne and Sarvodaya recall the age-old tradition of both Sri Lanka and India, the tradition not of mere tolerance but of profound respect for diversity. And, having inculcated in his inner self and his work the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, Dr. Ariyaratne, I know, sees politics as a branch of ethics and religion, not as a struggle for power and wealth, but a continuous effort to raise the quality of human beings, "to train them for freedom and fellowship, spiritual depth and harmony." In his work, which I have admired and kept track of over the years, I know that he has striven always for reconciliation, and the removal of suspicion, bitterness and resentment. He does not want Sri Lankans to think in water-tight compartments as Buddhists, Hindus, Christians or Muslims but as one people.
It was Jawaharlal Nehru who remarked that the voice and message of Mahatma Gandhi sounded so often to us as a reiteration of the Buddha's. I know that the ideals of Lord Buddha have guided the work of Sarvodaya, too. The message and teachings of the Buddha, enable us to look at our problems in the right perspective, draw back from conflict, violence and hatred. Mahatma Gandhi often laid stress on the manner of doing things, on the means employed. It was not enough, he used to say, to have a right objective, to have right ends in view, but also to adopt the right method and right means. I believe that ideal guides the work of Sarvodaya, too. It is particularly creditworthy that Dr. Ariyaratne has set up the Sarvodaya Trust Fund to further benefit the people from the money received from his various international awards. This is a testimony to his generosity of spirit, and his dedication to the cause of social justice and non-discrimination.

The true test of leadership is to draw out the best in those who work with you. I know that through Sarvodaya, thousands of people have been inspired to give of their best to society, and to their fellow Sri Lankans.

Mahatma Gandhi once enunciated the cause for the violence that plagues the world:

He said such disharmony and violence was caused by the seven blunders:

"Wealth without work.
Pleasure without conscience.
Knowledge without character.
Commerce without morality.
Science without humanity.
Worship without sacrifice.
Politics without principles".

As human beings, and responsible members of society, we must strive to overcome these deficiencies, so that the world is a better, more peaceful place to inhabit. Organizations like Sarvodaya are striving successfully to do that since they are dedicated to the cause of the welfare of all, particularly the weak and the underprivileged. And, I know that Sarvodaya also provides a strong anchor for those who are dejected and dispirited, and gives them the spiritual sustenance that enables them to face life with a smile and with hope. I therefore, wish Sarvodaya and Dr. Ariyaratne greater and greater success in all their great endeavours.

Let me conclude by saying that we in India share a special relationship with Sri Lanka - a relationship that is no mere friendship but a symbiotic twinning, an organic affinity that is not just geographical, but dictated by ties of shared religions, cultural practices, family ties, linguistic commonalities, economic ties, political understanding between two democracies, and so much more. The linkages between Sarvodaya and India are manifold and I need not elaborate on them. Suffice it to say that our two countries must share a precious and everlasting harmonious understanding cemented by the ideals of great visionaries like Lord Buddha, Emperor Ashoka, and Mahatma Gandhi. Sarvodaya is very much a part of the tradition inculcated in us by those great visionaries. Let us therefore celebrate the work and the mission of Sarvodaya - the true awakening of all.

Thank you.