Azad Hussain
Doing good for yourself is a common phenomenon, but a good deed for others is a big thing to do and depicts your character as a considerate person. No doubt most of the people in the world are self-centered and show hardly any concern about others, but the people who are extraordinary also do exist there in a good number who have done remarkable deeds and are doing the same with a great spirit. However a few among those get recognition who are nominated for awards and rest of them are left unsung. Every year on the January 26, “The Republic Day Of India” the people with outstanding performances in various fields, like arts, literature, bravery, social reforms, meritorious services etc, are honoured with great awards at national , state and district level , in order to recognise their outstanding performances or contributions to society or nation. The awards are given in the shape of money, medals, certificates etc.
Accordingly this year various dignitaries were conferred with different awards for their excellent performances and services. An award is not measured with the gauge stick of monetary value, but with the greatness of honour it carries. If the award is given just in the shape of a pen or a certificate, it carries the value that is incalculable. So It is necessary that the people who contribute their selfless services for the good of society or nation in various ways should be honoured with great awards on the special days in order to recognise their services and to encourage them and others for the same in future.
No doubt many nominees deserve to be awarded and get the same for their extraordinary work. But the fact remains that the nominations for awards are not always done in a fair and smooth manner, which results with disheartening of those who despite rendering distinguished services to society are not enlisted for awards. Though an award is the matter of honour for outstanding performer. However, what actually happens is that during the nomination process, somewhere a favouritism is followed by the nominating committees and pick and choose method is followed, which results with a cruel discrimination and sheer injustice. Those who deserve are sidelined and the blue-eyed people are given a chance and are brought to stage.
Another factor is criteria, pertaining to national and state level awards, there are various criterias’ already set for the awards, which include the national and state interests and the fields confined for awards. A person is awarded if he suits the state or nation well in every respect. However, the fact is that you come through the situations where the heroic people are doing noteworthy deeds but unfortunately their contribution remains uncounted and are left unsung from the criterial perspective of state and nation. Though an award upholds your spirit and encourages you to perform better or to carry on your better service to mankind with a same fervor. But an award doesn’t necessarily certify your excellence, as all deserving people are not awarded but a handful of people with good influence get a chance.
There are some people who try to show off their performances and eagerly wait for awards , but a person, who really wants to do some thing good for the sake of God , while performing his service for the goodness of others hardly expects any award from worldly authorities in return. No matter, would the short living worldly authorities confer you with an award or not but people who selflessly do something good will definitely get a good reward here and hereafter from Almighty. Not only at state and national level but at lower levels, though very less but favouritism does exist there too. Which is also seen some times at the special prize and award distribution occasions organised by civil Society, education institutions, sports associations, art and cultural academies etc.
An award plays an important role for a child to shape his future, it supports a child as a motivational force and can make a child to touch heights in future. If any type of discrimination happens, the deserving child can lose his heart and accordingly would get disinterested to perform better in the concerned field, if he is subjected to injustice. Keeping in view the significance of an award, the nominating committees for ground level as well as higher level awards should properly and honestly review the performances of nominees prior to their selection for awards so that those who deserve may not feel discouraged.
(The author is a freelancer. Views are his own [email protected])
