INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS (IDOP)
International Day of Older Persons is a special day for the senior citizens all over
the world. On December 14, 1990, the UN General Assembly made October 1 as
the International Day of Older Persons. The International Day of Older Persons
was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991. The day is celebrated
annually to recognize the contributions of older persons and to examine issues
that affect their lives. This day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the
contribution, wisdom, dignity and needs of our senior citizens and to rededicate
our efforts to ensure their well-being.
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, as the nodal ministry for the cause
of senior citizens, has been celebrating the occasion since 2005 by conferring
Vayoshreshtha Sammans to eminent Senior Citizens and Institutions in
recognition for their service towards the elderly persons, especially indigent
senior citizens. In 2013, the Vayoshreshtha Sammans have been upgraded as a
“National Award” vide Gazette Notification No. 15-39(30)/2009-10/AG-II dated
18-01-2013 to showcase the Government’s concern for senior citizens and its
commitment towards senior citizens with the aim of strengthening their
legitimate place in the society. This will also provide an opportunity to the
younger generations to understand the contribution of the elderly in building of
the society and the nation.
The National Award ‘Vayoshreshtha Samman’ is given in thirteen categories, to
distinguished senior citizens and institutions, who have rendered unparalleled
contribution in the overall well-being of the elderly on the occasion of
International Day of Older Persons. The recipients are drawn from diverse fields
and nominations are invited from State Governments, Union Territory
Administrations, concerned Central Ministries, reputed Non-Government
Organisations working for the senior citizens etc.
...
The categories are:
Institution Category:
1. Best Institution for Research in the field of Ageing,
2. Best Institution for providing services to Senior Citizens and Awareness
Generation,
3. Best District Panchayat in providing services and facilities to Senior
Citizens,
4. Best Urban Local Body in providing services and facilities to Senior
Citizens,
5. Best State in implementing the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and
Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and providing services and facilitates to Senior
Citizens
6. Best Private Sector Organisation in promoting the well-being and welfare
of senior citizens,
7. Best Public Sector Organisation in promoting the well-being and welfare of
senior citizens,
Individual Category:
8. Centenarian,
9. Iconic Mother
10. Lifetime Achievement
11. Creative Art
12. Sports and Adventure (one each for male and female)
13. Courage and Bravery (one each for male and female)
In addition to this, an inter-generational walkathon is organised at India Gate
lawns, New Delhi in the morning of 1st October, which is flag off by the Hon’ble
Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment. Hundreds of senior citizens and
children from schools and colleges participate in the occasion. State
Governments/UT Administrations are requested to observe this occasion in a
befitting manner right up to the Block levels. This Ministry organizes similar
Walkathons in 20 other State Capitals ie., Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Hyderabad,
Mumbai, Shimla, Jaipur, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Dehradun, Chennai, Kochi, Patna,
Chandigarh, Ranchi, Agartala, Bhopal, Raipur, Shillong, Bengaluru and
Puducherry in collaboration with Help Age India.
NATIONAL AWARDS (VAYOSHRESTHA SAMMANS) FOR OUTSTANDING
SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF SENIOR CITIZENS
YEAR-2013
S.No. CATEGORY AWARDEES
INSTITUTION CATEGORY:
1. Best Institution for providing services to Vrudha Sevashram
Senior Citizens and Awareness Maharashtra
Generation
2. Best State in implementing the Department of Social Justice
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Government of Madhya Pradesh
Senior Citizens Act 2007 and providing
services and facilities to senior citizens
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY:
3. Centenarian Award Smt. Narasamma
Tumkur District, Karnataka
4. Iconic Mother Award Smt. Sindhutai Shrihari Sapkal
Pune, Maharashtra
5. Lifetime Achievement Award Shri Vinobhai Vrajlal Valia
Mumbai, Maharashtra
6. Creative Art Award Ms. Nalini Vinay Mehta
Mumbai, Maharashtra
7. Sports & Adventure Award (Male & Male:
Female) Dr. G.S. Randhawa
New Delhi
Female:
Mrs. Damayanti V. Tambay
New Delhi
NATIONAL AWARDS (VAYOSHRESTHA SAMMANS) FOR OUTSTANDING
SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF SENIOR CITIZENS
YEAR-2014
S.No. CATEGORY AWARDEES
INSTITUTION CATEGORY:
1. Best Institution for providing services HelpAge India
to Senior Citizens and Awareness New Delhi
Generation
2. Best Institution for Research in the Department of Geriatric Medicine
field of Ageing AIIMS, New Delhi
3. Best District Panchayat Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat,
Karnataka
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY:
4. Centenarian Award Brig.(Dr.) M.L. Kataria
Chandigarh
5. Lifetime Achievement Award Prof. Dr. Ponnakudam Krishnan
Bhaskaran Nayar
Thiruvananthapuram
6. Creative Art Award Ms. Sushma Seth
New Delhi
7. Sports & Adventure Award Female:
(Male & Female) Kum. Chandra Prabha Aitwal
Uttarkashi, Uttarakand.
NATIONAL AWARDS (VAYOSHRESTHA SAMMANS) FOR OUTSTANDING
SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF SENIOR CITIZENS
YEAR-2015
S.N Category of Award Components of Awardees of 2015
o Award
1. Best Institution for (a)Citation; None
Research in the (b)Memento;
field of ageing; (c)Cash award of
Five Lakh Rupees.
2. Best institution for (a)Citation; 1) Pravara Rural Hospital,
providing services (b)Memento; AhmednagarMaharashtra
to senior citizens (c)Cash award of
and awareness Five Lakh Rupees. 2) Gram Vikas Parishad,
generation; Nagaon, Assam.
3. Best District (a)Citation; 1) Zilla Panchayat, Dindori,
Panchayat in (b)Memento; Madhya Pradesh.
providing services (c)Cash award of
and facilities to Ten Lakh Rupees. 2) Udupi Zilla Panchayat,
senior citizens; Manipal, Karnataka.
4. Best Urban Local (a)Citation; None
Body in providing (b)Memento;
services and (c)Cash award of
facilities to senior Ten Lakh Rupees.
citizens;
5. Best State in (a)Citation; None
implementing the (b)Memento.
Maintenance and
Welfare of Parents
and Senior Citizens
Act 2007 and
providing services
and facilities to
senior citizens;
6. Best Private Sector (a)Citation; None
Organisation in (b)Memento.
promoting the
wellbeing and
welfare of senior
citizens;
7. Best Public Sector (a)Citation; None
Organisation in (b)Memento.
promoting the
wellbeing and
welfare of senior
citizens;
8. Centenarian (a)Citation; Shri. Uday Singh Mann,
(b)Memento; Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, Haryana
(c)Cash award of
Two Lakh and Fifty
Thousand Rupees.
9. Iconic Mother (a)Citation; Smt. Laduben alias Leelaben
(b)Memento; Chhabildas Gurjar, Ahmedabad,
(c)Cash award of Gujarat.
Two Lakh and Fifty
Thousand Rupees.
10. Lifetime (a)Citation; 1) Shri. Y.N. Kadam, Kohlapur,
Achievement (b)Memento; Maharashtra.
(c)Cash award of
Two Lakh and Fifty 2) Shri. Manohar V. Bhale,
Thousand Rupees. Dewas, Madhya Pradesh.
11. Creative Art (a)Citation; 1) Dr. Rabindranath Dass
(b)Memento; Shastri, Agartala, Tripura.
(c)Cash award of
Two Lakh and Fifty 2) Dr. Jitendra Udhampuri,
Thousand Rupees. Jammu.
12. Sports and (a)Citation; Shri. Bahadur Singh,
Adventure (one (b)Memento; Patiala, Punjab
each for male and (c)Cash award of
female) Two Lakh and Fifty
Thousand Rupees.
13. Courage and (a)Citation; None
Bravery (b)Memento;
(one each for male (c)Cash award of
and female) Two Lakh and Fifty
Thousand Rupees.
