Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards

The Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Awards (formerly: Red and White Bravery Awards) is a surrogate tobacco brand promotional activity of Godfrey Phillips India, instituted in 1990, as a PR campaign to promote its cigarette brand "Red and White" by honoring courageous people in Indian society. It is supported by a parallel advertising campaign, "Red & White Piney Walon Ki Baat hi Kuch Aur Hai." The award purports to recognise the ordinary citizens who have selflessly performed extraordinary, little-known acts of physical bravery and social acts of courage, thereby setting an example for others to follow.[1]

Bravery Awards
Awarded forGodfrey Phillips Bravery Awards
Sponsored byGodfrey Phillips India Ltd.
First awarded1990

Presented annually, these awards are the only ones of their kind instituted by a tobacco company which uses its corporate identity to give awards.[2]

The surrogate activity is under challenge by the public health community and the government as being a violation of Section 5 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003. Many recipients like actor Vivek Oberoi[3] and activist Harman Siddu[4] have returned these awards after realising that the award is a surrogate activity of the tobacco industry. It was formerly known as Red and White Bravery Awards but its name was changed in 2003, in response to protests from various quarters about surrogate advertising for the Red and White cigarette brand.[5]

In 2006, film actor Preity Zinta was appointed as the brand ambassador of the awards.[5]

Jury

Tobacco company Godfrey Phillips claims that the award is judged by a panel comprising personalities from fields like administrative services, police and retired judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, social workers and media celebrities. It also claims that the selection process involves thorough checking of cited events, persons and places, in order to ensure that only deserving individuals are given the awards.[6]

Bravery categories

The awards include three main categories, and one category for lifetime achievement. Until 2003, the awards were presented in two main categories, "Physical Bravery" and "Social Acts of Courage". Winners in each category were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, which entailed cash prizes of Rs. 20,000, Rs. 15,000, and Rs. 10,000 respectively.[1] In 2003, a major new category, the "Mind of Steel Award", was added to the two main categories; its first recipient was actress Preity Zinta.[5] The "Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Service", was instituted in 1997.[6]

Physical Bravery Award

This award is for performing a selfless act of bravery at great personal risk to save life, or property of someone else. This honour can be given posthumously as well.[7]

Social Bravery Award

This award recognizes valiant efforts against social evils like drug abuse, dowry, child labor, corruption, illiteracy, environmental pollution, etc. Individuals, as well as social organizations registered in India, are eligible for this award. Prestigious Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award has been conferred on Dr. DP Sharma, a world-known IT Scientists & globally acclaimed Professor on 20th December 2001 for the 'Social Bravery' category. Citation of the award appreciated his valuable and outstanding contributions in the field of Disability Welfare, Education, Employment and Rehabilitation of the people with disabilities under the banner of IHWI. He also highlighted the corruption happening in the country in the name of Disabled Cricket, in which former manager of Cricket Control Board and the names of Indian cricket captain Ajit Wadekar were also included. Later, Dr. Sharma, who was hurt by the match-fixing happening in the cricket world, also offered to return this award. And said that no sport should be synonymous with gambling because it hurts the spirit of the audience and the nation. Subsequently, he appealed to return this Award when corrupt fixing issues were exposed in Indian cricket.[7] Dr. Sharma had offered to return this Godfrey Phillips Social Bravery Award after the revelations of new match-fixing happening in the cricket world and the award of Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar under political rancor, bypassing hockey wizard Dhyanchand. Dr. DP Sharma also alleged the purchase of this award.

Mind of steel Award

This award recognizes people who despite having their limitations have performed far beyond the ordinary and pushed the limits of courage and performance to a new level. This award also recognizes people who have stood by their personal convictions in a social situation, without thinking at all about the consequences.[7]

Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Service

This award is given to an outstanding citizen for his/her remarkable lifetime contribution in the field of social service. Those who have selflessly spent their lives working for the betterment of society.[1][6]

Prestigious Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award has been conferred on Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS on 21st September 2011. Dr. Samanta was selected for the award in ‘Social Bravery’ category. Citation of the award appreciated his valuable contribution in the field of tribal empowerment through Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), where 15,000 tribal students are getting education from KG to PG, vocational training, accommodation, food and all basic amenities of life free of cost, with job guarantee after completion of education.

Instituted by Modi Group, the award is given to individuals who have made significant contribution for the betterment of the society. Eminent persons like Dr. Verghese Kurien and Shri E. Sreedharan have been the past recipients. Similarly, the award was conferred on Sister Sudha Varghese for her relentless efforts spanning over 25 years to improve the plight of the Musahars in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and Dr. Prakash and Mandakini Amte for their exceptional work for the Gonds in Maharashtra. Dr. Jaya Arunachalam received the Social Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Bravery Awards 2010.

References
  1. "Saying BRAVO to the brave". The Hindu. October 13, 2003. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  2. "Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards". Godfrey Phillips India Limited. Archived from the original on 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  3. "Vivek Oberoi returns award". The Hindu. April 1, 2005. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  4. "Tobacco Free India Coalition".
  5. "Cheers for the deserving!". The Hindu. December 28, 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  6. "Godfrey Phillips `bravery awards' to be extended". The Hindu. November 19, 2003. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  7. "Bravery categories". Godfrey Phillips Bravery. Archived from the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2007-12-05.
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