Mangalore all set to welcome Salil Shetty

TNN

Mangalore, 28 August 2011: This coastal city is waiting to roll out the red carpet to Salil Shetty, son of the soil. Salil is the first Indian and first person from Mangalore in particular to be appointed secretary general, Amnesty International (AI) when he arrives here on August 30. AI is a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in more than 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights.

 

 

Leading citizens of the city have come together under the stewardship of Kodialguthu Ajith Kumar Rai Maladi to set up the Salil Shetty Felicitation Committee and Salil will be accorded public felicitation at Sri Ramakrishna School ground at Bunts Hostel on Tuesday. Dr B M Hegde, former vice-chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education will deliver the felicitation address and Ajith Kumar Rai Maladi preside over the function.

 

Salil Shetty is the eighth secretary general of AI and took over the reigns of the human rights watchdog body in July. The organisation was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its campaign against torture and the United Nations prize in the field of human rights. Salil is the organisations’ chief political advisor, strategist and spokesperson and takes AI’s campaign to the highest level of governments across the world, United Nations and business.

 

Since joining Amnesty International, Salil has been vocal in supporting the people’s uprising for human rights in the Middle East and North Africa. In December 2010, he led Amnesty International’s show of solidarity in Oslo for the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo calling on the Chinese authorities to improve their human rights record. In September 2010, he represented Amnesty International at the United Nations general assembly.

 

Salil is the only son of eminent journalist V T Rajashekar Shetty and Hemalatha Shetty, who hail from this part of the country. His great grandfather P S Thimmappa Shetty was the district collector of South Kanara district. Ajith Kumar Rai stated that it is matter of pride for people of the coastal district to honour Salil, who has brought name and fame to his home town by heading one of the most renowned Human Rights NGOs of the world.