Prof. Vidyanidhi M S. MOOKIAH
Prof. Vidyanidhi M S. MOOKIAH - National Peace Council Director, Srilanka
Global Achievemenet Award for Excellence in the field of Education - Citation
Dispersed from his native land, he still made a mark for himself in the soil he loved and lived. After obtaining his coveted postgraduate degree in the United Kingdom, he rose from lecturer to Vice Chancellor — mastering the nuances of the world's surface, physical attributes, climate, and population.
He embodies the spirit of Tagore's vision:
"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; where knowledge is free; where the world has not been broken into fragments by narrow domestic walls; where words come out from the depth of truth; where the tireless mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action — into the heaven of freedom."
He stands like a Goliath in his ethnic descent and cultural background. Accolades came searching for him, and lofty positions he decorated with his effulgent presence.
Two score monographs, two score books, and numerous research articles stand as living monuments to the artful touch of his hands. He became a repository of knowledge — "Vidyanithi" — recognized by the President of Sri Lanka.
Many Western institutions boasted of his membership, and many harvested from his knowledge. Yet the pride remains that his native country awarded him for his contribution to Sri Lankan tertiary education and research.
Never losing his focus on co-existence and reconciliation, he toils and burns the midnight oil in his post at the National Peace Council.
He is one of us. He is a son of our mother earth. And we are proud to bestow upon him this Appreciation for Educational Leadership.