Ashok Chavan felicitates Brother Christudas with The Week Man of the Year Award

The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra,  Ashok Chavan felicitated Br. Christudas and conferred on him The Week Man of the Year Award 2009. The prestigious award is bestowed by - The Week, with an idea to accolade the exemplary work done by relatively unknown men and women, who enrich the community as they relentlessly pursue a philanthropic aspiration for the betterment of the society. 

The Week’s award ceremony was graced by Health Minister Suresh Shetty, Shobhaa De, Philip Mathew, Managing Editor, The Week, Riyad Mathew, Asst Editor and Senior Genral Manager, The Week and other cream-de-le-cream of the society. The ceremony also saw a scintillating performance by the sarod players’ duo Amaan Ali Khan & Ayaan Ali Khan.

The Week "Man of the Year” 2009, Brother Christudas, an angel to thousands of leprosy patients in Bihar has brought healing and hope to leprosy patients and their families at his Little Flower Center in Sunderpur, Raxaul. Some people toil silently, diligently, persistently, to better the lives of those less fortunate. Similarly, Br. Christudas, has brought healing and hope to over 50,000 leprosy patients and their families. 

Today North Bihar has 22 leprosy colonies, 10 less than when Christudas started to work here. He has not just cured them but has also given them the courage to live their life with self respect and dignity. Brother Christudas is committed to the dream of a leprosy-free society and has dedicated his life for the cause. The Week salutes such selfless visionaries with its Man of The Year award.

The Week has recognized 27 authentic heroes till date. Many of them have gone on to win prestigious awards after they were featured in the magazine. The Week's first Man of the Year, Baba Amte, won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his work with the leprosy stricken. Rajendra Singh, Man of the Year in 1998, was selected for the Magsaysay Award in 2001. 

Wheelchair-bound plastic surgeon Sharadkumar Dicksheet, Man of the Year in 1999, won the Kellogg's Hannah Neil World of Children Award in 2001 for giving poor disfigured patients a new face and a new future. The Week is humbled that its recognition of greatness has been ratified by the pre-eminence of the recipients of the award on a larger, world-wide scale as well!