Senior Congress leader and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor has written to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee nominating the Kerala fishermen. They had risked everything to come to the aid of their fellow humans during the devastating floods that had taken over the state last year.
In his letter to Berit Reiss-Anderson, chairwoman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Tharoor said:
I would like to nominate the fishermen of Kerala for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. They represent an outstanding and wholly deserving candidacy, one that would be a worthy addition to the champions of humanity that the award has recognised over the years
According to The Indian Express, thousands of fishermen had come forward despite dire conditions threatening their lives and livelihoods to rescue nearly 65,000 people in the wake of the state’s worst flood in nearly a century.
In his letter, Tharoor also said that many of the fishermen turned down cash compensation by the state government.
Even as their own houses fell victim to the deluge, their thoughts and concerns were directed towards the larger safety of strangers. When the state government offered compensation in cash and kind for their efforts, many of them politely turned down the offer, pointing out that they found it unseemly to accept a reward for their humanitarian service-that is the level of dedication and maganimity they have shown toward the welfare and greater good of Kerala.
According to reports, at least 488 people lost their lives as the flood of the century had affected 14 districts.
Without the aid of the fishermen, the number of casualties would surely have been much higher.