Javed Akhtar becomes first Indian to receive Richard Dawkins Award

[halupridol]

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has won the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.

Akhtar has become the first Indian to be given the honour, which recognises distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth.

Akhtar’s wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said the award’s relevance becomes more prominent especially in the current times when secularism is under attack.
“I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significance because in today’s time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed’s long service to rational thinking,” Azmi told PTI.

The award is named after world-renowned English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year.

Bollywood celebrities Anil Kapoor and Dia Mirza took to Twitter to congratulate the 75-year-old writer for the recognition.

“Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read ‘The Selfish Gene’, the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It’s a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!” Kapoor tweeted.

Dia said Akhtar’s win is a proud moment for the country.

“Javed Akhtar Saab has won the the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud,” Dia wrote. PTI
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The first from southasia.
The uninitiated can use google and learn about Dawkins.
Plenty of videos in YouTube too.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tr...indian-to-receive-richard-dawkins-award-95877

 

[El Sidd]

Whose attacking secularism in India?

 

[halupridol]

Whose attacking secularism in India?

Religious nutjobs and there enablers.

 

[El Sidd]

Religious nutjobs and there enablers.

Are they in majority?

 

[halupridol]

Are they in majority?

They are in considerable numbers,,enuff to shout down rational voices.
Dawkins has written some interesting books. Chck thm out.

 

[El Sidd]

They are in considerable numbers,,enuff to shout down rational voices.
Dawkins has written some interesting books. Chck thm out.

Dawkins never said anything new.

If you put enough on the table @W.11 can compile every time he mentioned ancient India in his works.

 

[Shantanu_Left]

Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has won the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.

Akhtar has become the first Indian to be given the honour, which recognises distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth.

Akhtar’s wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said the award’s relevance becomes more prominent especially in the current times when secularism is under attack.
“I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significance because in today’s time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed’s long service to rational thinking,” Azmi told PTI.

The award is named after world-renowned English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year.

Bollywood celebrities Anil Kapoor and Dia Mirza took to Twitter to congratulate the 75-year-old writer for the recognition.

“Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read ‘The Selfish Gene’, the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It’s a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!” Kapoor tweeted.

Dia said Akhtar’s win is a proud moment for the country.

“Javed Akhtar Saab has won the the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud,” Dia wrote. PTI
------_---_------
The first from southasia.
The uninitiated can use google and learn about Dawkins.
Plenty of videos in YouTube too.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tr...indian-to-receive-richard-dawkins-award-95877

I have had the fortune and privilege to interact with Javed Akhtar saab at a party in Mumbai. He deserves this accolade because he is an extremely talented creative mind. Everyone knows him for his movie dialogues and songs, but that's just a part of his overall genius. He is one of the most renowned Urdu poets of our current age, and has many published nazm's which have a worldwide following among poetry lovers. He actually has a Master's in English Literature.

 

[halupridol]

I have had the fortune and privilege to interact with Javed Akhtar saab at a party in Mumbai. He deserves this accolade because he is an extremely talented creative mind. Everyone knows him for his movie dialogues and songs, but that's just a part of his overall genius. He is one of the most renowned Urdu poets of our current age, and has many published nazm's which have a worldwide following among poetry lovers. He actually has a Master's in English Literature.

All that is true and perhaps helped him put forth his opinions more eloquently but that's not exactly why he was awarded with this honor.
Anyhow it's a start n hopefully will inspire others.

Dawkins never said anything new.

If you put enough on the table @W.11 can compile every time he mentioned ancient India in his works.

That's what people generally say after losing debates with him.

 

[El Sidd]

That's what people generally say after losing debates with him.

There is no winner or loser in a debate.

It's an academic exchange

 

[halupridol]

There is no winner or loser in a debate.

It's an academic exchange

You can mail him a love letter.

 

[El Sidd]

You can mail him a love letter.

He can come to PDF anytime he likes.

 

[Daghalodi]

Congratulations!!

A puncture wala recieving an award for promoting human values.

Bhatks must be on fire right now..

@padamchen @Syama Ayas @SrNair @Soumitra @silent_poison @Gandhi G in da house @manga

 

[halupridol]

Congratulations!!

A puncture wala recieving an award for promoting human values.

Bhatks must be on fire right now..

@padamchen @Syama Ayas @SrNair @Soumitra @silent_poison @Gandhi G in da house @manga

Don't know about others but looking at your dp,, i'm pretty sure u won't like him either.

 

[Shantanu_Left]

Congratulations!!

A puncture wala recieving an award for promoting human values.

Bhatks must be on fire right now..

It's actually a very prestigious award.

Javed Akhtar is the first Indian, and the first person from the subcontinent to win this accolade. The only non-Westerner to win this award in the past was Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Javed's one of the finest and brightest minds that you would get to meet. He's now in illustrious company along with Stephen Fry, Christopher Hitchens, Rebecca Goldstein, Bill Maher the standup comic.

This is indeed a very high achievement to be chosen from the entire world of eligible candidates.

Having met Javed saab before, I feel very elated about this news.

 

[aryadravida]

Congratulations!!

A puncture wala recieving an award for promoting human values.

Bhatks must be on fire right now..

@padamchen @Syama Ayas @SrNair @Soumitra @silent_poison @Gandhi G in da house @manga

He is an atheist..not a muslim...there are crores of hindus who are atheists...in that sense you can call him a hindu.