Nehru Award for 2009 to be conferred on German Chancellor Angela Merkel

German Chancellor, Ms. Angela Merkel

The Jury of the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding chaired by Vice-President Mohmmad Hamid Ansari has decided to confer the Award for the year 2009 on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"By honouring Chancellor Merkel with the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for the year 2009, India recognizes her personal devotion and enormous efforts for sustainable and equitable development, for good governance and understanding and for the creation of a world better positioned to handle the emerging challenges of the 21st century," an official press release said.

"She has been sympathetic to developing countries and our own developmental imperatives and has led the search for a balanced solution based on principles of equity and sensitivity to the interests of the developing world," it said.

The Award carries prize money of Rs 1 crore besides a trophy and a citation.

NNN