Two Indians among recipients of Japan’s Foreign Minister’s Commendation 

NEW DELHI: Dr. Deepak Jayant Tilak, Vice-Chancellor, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth(TMV), Pune, and the Great-grandson of Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak is the recipient of Japan’s Foreign Minister’s Commendation for the year 2020, for promoting the Japanese language in India.

Another Indian from Puri (Odisha), Kunna Dash, President, India Japan Friendship Centre, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan, who lives in Japan, has been announced as the recipient of this honour for promoting mutual understanding between the two countries.

They figure in the list of 172 individuals whom the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan confirmed as the recipients of the Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2020 from across the world. This year, the Commendations will be awarded to 65 groups also.

Of these, 20 individuals and 11 groups are based in Japan, while 152 individuals and 54 groups are spread across the world. However, none of the organizations from India could find space in the list of groups.

The Ministry will also award the Foreign Minister’s Commendations for excellent Chefs for Ambassadors/Consul-Generals of Japan. A total of 9 chefs who will be awarded the Commendations for their exceptional skills and contributions will receive the title of “Excellent Executive Chef for Ambassador/Consul-General of Japan.”

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations for the chefs and the title are awarded in recognition of the significance of the chefs’ contributions to diplomatic activities and also to facilitate the recruitment of highly qualified chefs in the future.

The recipients will be presented with an award certificate and individuals will be presented with a commemorative gift. The ceremony which normally takes place each year will not be held this year, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.

According to the Consulate General of Japan in Mumbai, the contributions that led to the award to Dr. Deepak Jayant Tilak ever since he has been the vice-chancellor of Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth (since 2004), he contributed significantly to the establishment of the Japanese Language Department at the TMV in 2008 and the establishment of the Japanese Language Master’s Program in 2011. He has also emphasized Japanese language education and promoted exchange programs with international students. Now, TMV plays a central role in Japanese language education in India.

In this way, Dr. Tilak has contributed greatly to mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and India through Japanese language education in India.

On the other hand, another Indian recipient Kunna Dash, President, India Japan Friendship Center (IJFC), has also been the International Tourism Ambassador of Kyoto, Japan in 2015 and the second time in the year 2017 for three years till 2020.

A native of Indian religious city Puri (Odisha), Dash had founded IJFC – a Non-Profit Organization in 2002. The aim of this society is to exchange culture, education, tourism, and commerce between the two countries. Every year IJFC organizes events in both countries to promote Indian Culture in Japan and vice-versa and keeps on doing such small and big works.

In 2007 – the India-Japan Friendship Year, the Japanese government had honored Kunna Dash with a Certificate of Appreciation. In 2009, Kansai Television conferred the ‘Ningen-Kokuho’ Award on him.

Dash was also awarded in 2012 during the 60th anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic ties.

In 2015, Kunna dash was appointed as International Tourism Ambassador of Kyoto, Japan for the term 2015 to 2017. And in 2015 he was awarded Naniwa Prize from Osaka city.

And in 2017 again, Kunna Dash was appointed as International Tourism Ambassador of Kyoto, Japan.