JAMMU: Hiral Lal Abrol has been awarded with “The Mahatma Gandhi Seva Purusker – 2020”. The Executive Committee of Gandhi Global Family of UT of Jammu & Kashmir has announced the annual awards for selfless social service. He has been honoured for his outstanding contribution towards humanity by providing relief to the needy families and sanitizing various residential, commercial locations along with religious places (mandirs, gurudwaras, churches and masjids) in Jammu during COVID-19 pandemic. Sanitisers, hand gloves, masks and COVID related pamphlets were also distributed during these sanitisation drives. He has been recognized for this tribute to the ‘Father of Nation’ on his 150th Birth Anniversary. The honour was presented to him while celebrating the 91st Birth Anniversary of Padma Vibhushan Dr. Nirmala Deshpande at Jammu. As Chairman of Mahavir Society for Education &Research (MSER); Healthy India Stronger India (HISI) and MV International School, Hira Lal Abrol has been an active social worker for the last 40 years. He has been spreading awareness about importance of education; health and skill development to the needy people. He has been donating books to the children in slums and orphanages, free medical camps have been organised, where doctors conduct free medical check-up and free medicines are distributed to the people in these camps. Distribution of relief material to the victims of natural calamities and Kanya Pujan under Beti Bachao Aabhiyan along with organization of marriage of orphan girls have also been his area of social service. Owing to public demand of his work at the ground level, on 01st August 2016, he launched a charitable NGO named as Healthy India Stronger India (HISI) at 182, Raghunath pura, Jammu. This NGO runs a ‘Free Training Centre’ that offers 3 months free courses in Basic Computers, Cutting & Tailoring Classes, Beautician Course, Vocal Music, Dance as well as Free Library to needy and poor children from BPL families. Nearly 2550 students have passed out, after successful completion of courses from this center. They have been placed in various organizations, some of them have even started their own ventures. He has inaugurated various centres that have been opened by the students, who had passed out from the training centre of Healthy India Stronger India. In addition to training in skill development, Healthy India Stronger India equips its students with moral values and life skills. The students are motivated to live a healthy life and to stay away from tobacco and drugs. HISI has the vision to uplift the place of women in the society and make them self-reliant. Girls and women trainees of the NGO are trained in ‘Self Defence’. In 2013 he was conferred with “Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal” by Gandhi Global Family in recognition of his efforts for social service. Notable recipients of the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal include His Holiness Dalai Lama, former President of India K R Narayanan, former Speaker Lok Sabha Smt Meira Kumar, former Odissa Chief Minister and former Assam Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, former Indian Army Chief and others. He has also been awarded as “Social Activist” by ‘J&K Against Corruption Trust’ and the NGO – Healthy India Stronger India has bestowed with the “Best NGO – Rising Star of India Award – 2017” for excellence in social service at New Delhi.
