Vigil India Movement (Vigil India) is a

non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

based in

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

working in the field of

human rights in India Human rights in India is an issue complicated by the country's large size and population as well as its diverse culture, despite its status as the world's largest sovereign, secular, democratic republic. The Constitution of India provides for Fun ...

. Founded in 1977, by Rev. Dr. M.A. Thomas, who also founded the

Ecumenical Christian Centre Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC) was founded in 1963 by M. A. Thomas. ECC is located in Whitefield in Bengaluru on a campus. Taking the total context of the world as "the text" and "the context" of theologizing: > Involving all church ...

in Bangalore in 1963 and Association of Christian Institutes for Social Concern in Asia. In 1998, Vigil India launched The Institute of Human Rights with Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, former

Chief Justice of India The chief justice of India (IAST: ) is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of India as well as the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Judiciary. The Constitution of India grants power to the president of India to appoint, in consultation w ...

and former Chairman of the

National Human Rights Commission A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights. The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...

. The Institute is a training programme for human rights activists, "training trainers" for grass roots education in human rights. The organisation awards the Rev. M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award annually. The recipients since 1993 include: *

Lenin Raghuvanshi Lenin Raghuvanshi is an Indian Dalit rights activist, political thinker and social entrepreneur. He is one of the founding members of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), which works for the upliftment of the marginalised sect ...

, 2016 *

Jayamma Bandari Jayamma Bandari (born c. 1978) is an Indian former sex worker turned social worker. In 2018 she was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar. In 2011 she founded an organisation which supports sex workers and their children with choices. Life Bandari was ...

, 2014 *

Swami Agnivesh Swami Agnivesh (born Vepa Shyam Rao; 21 September 193911 September 2020), was an Indian social activist and the founder of Arya Sabha, a political party based on the principles of Arya Samaj.

, 2006 *

Teesta Setalvad Teesta Setalvad (born 9 February 1962) is an Indian civil rights activist and journalist. She is the secretary of ''Citizens for Justice and Peace'' (CJP), an organisation formed to advocate for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots. Personal life ...

, 2004 *

Harsh Mander Harsh Mander (born 17 April 1955) is an Indian author, columnist, researcher, teacher, and social activist who started the Karwan-e-Mohabbat campaign in solidarity with the victims of communal or religiously motivated violence. He is the Dire ...

, 2002 *

Medha Patkar Medha Patkar née Khanolkar (born 1 December 1954) is an Indian social activist and former Politician working on various crucial political and economic issues raised by tribals, dalits, farmers, labourers and women facing injustice in India. She ...

, 1999 * Justice

V. R. Krishna Iyer Justice Vaidyanathapuram Rama Krishna Iyer (15 November 1915 – 4 December 2014) was an Indian judge who became a pioneer of judicial activism. He pioneered the legal-aid movement in the country. Before that, he was a state minister and poli ...

, 1998 * Ravi Nair, 1997

References

External links

Vigil India Movement
{{Authority control Non-profit organisations based in India Human rights organisations based in India Organizations established in 1977 1977 establishments in India