The awards instituted by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture in 1986, were conferred on the three towering personalities for humanism, for outstanding contribution to India's cultural and spiritual heritage and to rural upliftment, respectively. The award carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs two lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-President called for the restoration of the family system describing it as the basic functional unit of a vital society.

``Family is not a private property, it is a cultural institution. Thus it is the essence of truth, spiritualism and the home science which make the management of a family more of an art than mere defined science,'' Krishna Kant said.

``The personalities chosen for the award are these very components which enrich the family system of our country,'' added the Vice-President who himself was the chairman of the selection jury.

In his acceptance speech, Athavale, whose doctrine of Swadhyay (self-awareness and introspection) has today become an ideal way of life for over 20 million people worldwide, called for shrugging off ``can't do'' attitude and replace it with positivism.

The social service is not through money it is achieved mainly through people who have the will to do it with positive attitude, he said. The 79-year-old Athavale, who has been conferred with prestigious Magasasay Award and Templeton Prize, lamented that the society was losing the virtues such as politeness and gratitude.

Prof R N Dandekar said that the society should continue its exploration of the truth. ``Growth from truth to higher truth is the best goal of life and it requires character, sincerity and modesty,'' remarked the 90-year-old Sanskrit scholar who has done path-breaking contribution in Vedic mythology and Hinduism.

The ceremony witnessed a moving scene when the octogenarian Dr Rajammal Devadas, dedicated her award in the memory of her mother who she said, ``despite being illiterate and hailing from a very poor background inspired me to work for the upliftment of the women and poor''.

Devadas, who has been instrumental in planning Tamil Nadu Government's nutritious meal programme for nine million school children, donated the Rs two lakh amount received as prize money, for rural development work in tribal areas.

``We have amalgamated spirituality, science and technology and social service in our education pattern to impart knowledge to the rural folks and women,'' she said.

In her welcome speech, Sarala Birla, chairperson of Birla Academy of Art and Culture said that the awards were instituted not only to perpetuate G D Birla's vision of a resurgent India, but also to recognise and honour those who are striving to enrich human values and catalyse brotherhood in this seemingly fractured world. For the first time the function was being held outside Delhi.