Durban - A final call for nominations have been made for the Dravidian Awards.
Entries will close on Saturday.
A group of individuals called the Dravidian Collective who are responsible for the initiative said they were inspired by the thought and activism of social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy from South India.
He is known as the Father of Tamilnadu who started the "self-respect movement".
Kiru Naidoo, historian and founding member of the collective, who believed in Periyar’s ideas, stressed that their sole purpose was to present awards that celebrated sacrifice in the building of the country.
Mala Lutchmanan, cultural activist and radio personality added the awards were intended to reflect on the oppression of Indian indenture, the struggle for South African freedom, the contemporary challenges of deepening non-racialism and the activism for social justice.
"The individual awards are named in honour of individuals whose lives and sacrifices resonate with the identified objectives," said Lutchmanan.
There are 10 awards up for grabs, one of which include the Archie Gumede Award, the Hajee Mohammed Lappa Sultan Award and the Fatima Seedat Award.
To nominate a candidate email [email protected] or visit the collective's Facebook page and website: www.thedravidianawards.com.
The awards will be presented at the SABC studios in Durban on Friday, November 23 at 5.30pm.
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