Hyderabad: A beautiful opening note about how leaders worldwide are teaching us how to hate and the peril of being a minority in India was given by the event host Harsh Mander during a 2- day event titled ‘Rehmat’, held at Lamakaan in the city. He explained, ”It is important to recognise and publicly celebrate these heroes who reflect not just kindness and compassion, but courageous kindness — people willing to risk their own lives to protect others and stop violence. It is also what I call radical love, a love for which you are willing to give your life. I have always heard stories of people who saved lives, and this event is a way of acknowledging them.”
Growing communal violence in India has become an international concern; many have lost their lives or their loved ones, a grief that is incredibly hard to live with. These courageously kind heroes were the subject of the event. Their stories of grace, compassion and peace through some of the most troubling times were commended and shared for the world to know.
The two-day festival included stories, dialogue, poetry, book readings and musical performances that centred around the same theme. The discussions and stories were moderated by award-winning journalists both nationally and internationally, Rana Ayyub and Kunal Purohit, who have time and again spoken out against the rising communal violence in India, along with Harsh Mandal.
The awardees included Adil Hussain Shah, a civilian martyr in the Pahalgam terrorist attack of 2025 who’s father was present; Imam Imdadullah Rashidi who continues to preach peace after losing his son to communal violence that erupted over a Ram Navami procession in Asansol, West Bengal; Ngaineikim Lunkim a prominent Kuki-Zo women’s rights activist and peacebuilder who lost her two cousin brothers in the recent Manipur violence and Himanshi Narwal (in absentia, received by Lalita Ramdas) who lost her husband Lieutenant Vinay Narwal in the Pahalgam attack six days after her marriage.
All the recipients had one thing in common – radical love. In their hour of bereavement, they chose peace when the easier choice was hate. Syed Haider Shah, whose son was a civilian martyr, said that “there are more Adils in Pahalgam”, a statement that holds inexpressible weight.
Imam Imdadullah Rashidi said to his neighbours and others who were looking for revenge after his son was beaten to death in communal violence, “I want peace. My boy has been taken away. I don’t want any more families to lose their loved ones. I don’t want any more houses to burn. I have already told the gathering that I will leave Asansol if there is any kind of retaliation. I told them that if you love me, you will not raise a finger.” He showed in practise what he had been teaching all his life, a life of grace, compassion and peace.
Ngaineikim Lunkim is a Kuki activist and peacebuilder who has saved numerous Meitei lives during violent riots in the state; something that has made her own Kuki community question her motives. Although she has lost two brothers to the Meitei community, she continues to save others regardless.
Lalita Ramdas spoke of Himanshi Narwal’s bravery as a young widow to speak to national media with astounding clarity and while handling the hate and trolling of being called “anti-national” with grace.
What brought all of them together is their humanness, they stood for peace, love and humanity in a world that is currently running on hate. Throughout the session, the attendees were moved to tears hearing one heartbreaking story after another. Rehmat has succeeded in giving hope and strength to all those who attended. It was heartening and inspiring to see, hear and be around such courageously kind humans who have taken a strong stand for humanity.
This article is written by Hannah Judith Johnson, a student of Tezpur University, interning with Deccan Chronicle.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
