 Nicole Brown (before 6/23)
630-571-5466 ext. 366
Melitta Cutright (before 6/28)
630-571-5466 ext. 363
For Immediate Release
Shri Dipchand Savraj Gardi of Mumbai, India, to Receive 2006 Lions Humanitarian Award at Lions Clubs International Convention
OAK BROOK, Illinois, June 1, 2006— Shri Dipchand Savraj Gardi of Mumbai, India, is the recipient of the 2006 Humanitarian Award Winner. At age 91, Gardi is doing the work he likes best: giving away his wealth to those in need.
Gardi will be presented with this prestigious award during the Third Plenary Session at the 89th Lions Clubs International Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, July 4. The 2006 Lions Humanitarian Award, the highest honor of the association, includes a US$200,000 grant for continuing humanitarian activities from Lions Clubs International Foundation. Previous Lions Humanitarian Award recipients include former President Jimmy Carter and Mother Teresa.
At the age of 49, Gardi, who was educated in India and London, retired from his law career to dedicate his life to aiding others. Gardi began his philanthropic work by setting up schools in small villages, in particular schools for girls. He continues to dedicate his life to philanthropic work on a full-time basis.
The Dipchand Gardi Charitable Trust provides approximately US$80,000 per year in funding for a variety of projects, including schools, hospitals, religious institutions, elderly homes and community health programs.
The Trust generally distributes US$1,120 as seed money for projects, asking that the organization or group raise four times this amount for the completion of work. Once that amount is raised, additional funds are provided by the Trust if needed. The feasibility of each project is first reviewed by Gardi, and then a host of other experts and specialists review the project. For projects involving construction, surveyors and engineers also advise on the project and act as supervisors.
“I particularly wanted girls to be educated because one educated mother in each family could make a world of difference to the future of society as a whole,” he said. He built his first school at his birthplace when he was 31.
He has been awarded the Gujarat Garima Award, Rajiv Gandhi Award and Girnar Award, in addition to other prestigious awards, for his humanitarian work. However, he prefers to stay out of the limelight. “I want no reward, no award,” he says. “Not a single school or anything else constructed with my help is named after me. I want to be forgotten, not remembered. I want to be like the foundation stone providing a firm and strong base for others to build their beautiful dreams on,” he said.
“What I have today was someone else’s yesterday and will belong to someone else tomorrow,” Gardi said. He plans to continue his humanitarian work throughout India, working for the betterment of society and helping others fulfill their dreams.
Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with nearly 1.35 million members in more than 46,000 clubs in 197 countries and geographic areas. In addition to its efforts toward conquering blindness, the organization has made a strong commitment to community service and helping youth throughout the world. To learn more about Lions Clubs International, visit www.lionsclubs.org.
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