(February 4, 2010) An international Buddhist conclave has for the first time awarded
a Catholic priest its top peace prize. Father Anand Muttungal, spokesperson of the
Church in Madhya Pradesh, was handed the Buddhist community’s award for “World Peace
and Harmony” January 31. The priest, the first non-Buddhist to get the prestigious
award, received his prize from Senior Buddhist monk Venerable Bhadant Arya Nagarjun
Surai Sasai. The award included an engraved commemorative plaque and shawl. The award
ceremony attended by 15,000 people was part of a one-day international Buddhist conclave
at Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh state. Conclave coordinator, Bhante Sakyaputra
Sagar, lauded the priest’s efforts for inter-religious harmony in the state, which
witnessed a series of attacks on religious minorities such as Christian and Muslims.
“I have personally seen his work and am convinced about his commitment to religious
harmony,” Bhante Sagar said. Father Muttungal in his acceptance speech said “he believed
in the prosperity of humanity” and works toward “it without bothering who belonged
to which religion.” He sees this award as a recognition “of the service of the Christian
community” in the state. Christians, who form less than one percent of the state’s
some 60 million people, have witnessed some 150 major attacks on their communities
and institutions in the past five years.