Gulzar to be given Indira Gandhi award by the President

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for 2011 will be awarded to well known lyricist, poet and writer Gulzar.

"The 27th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for the year 2011 will be awarded to Gulzar for his yeoman work in promoting and preserving the spirit of national integration in the country," said Congress treasurer Motilal Vora, who is member secretary of the advisory committee for the award. The award will be given to Gulzar by Congress president Sonia Gandhi Oct 31, the martyrdom day of Indira Gandhi. The award had been instituted by the Congress in its centenary year to give recognition to outstanding contribution to the cause of national integration by individuals and institutions. The award includes a citation and cash of Rs.5 lakh. Former recipients of the award include freedom fighter Aruna Asaf Ali, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (posthumous), former presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Shankar Dyal Sharma, noted film director Shyam Benegal and music maestro A.R. Rahman. The award has also been given to some institutions. IANS