Pune, Apr 4 : In order to strengthen the bond between the bordering states from North-east, Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra, Governor of Meghalaya Satya Pal Malik and former IPS officer AS Dulat will be conferred the prestigious ‘Sant Namdev National Awards’ for the years 2021 and 2020, respectively. NCP president and former on minister Sharad Pawar will confer the award on April 7 in New Delhi. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka will preside over the awards function. The ‘Sant Namdev National Award’ has been instituted by the well-known Pune-based NGO Sarhad. Its founder-president and organiser of awards fuction Sanjay Nahar told here on Monday that “This award is bestowed on eminent people from Punjab who have helped strengthen ties between the bordering states and Maharashtra. The award is named after Sant Namdev, the 13th century poet-saint from Maharashtra who is venerated in Sikhism as he spent many years in Punjab. He is believed to have passed away at Ghuman village in Gurdaspur district of Punjab.” “We are proud to confer this award on Governor of Meghalaya Satya Pal Malik and former special director of Intelligence Bureau (IB) and former secretary of Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) A S Dulat for their exemplary life and work for peace, development and prosperity of the bordering states. Their role in strengthening the bonds between the bordering states and Maharashtra has been vital,” he stressed. The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 1.01 lakh and a memento, Nahar added. SP SS 1821