HOUSTON, TX: February 9, 2015. (PCP) Two Sindhi luminaries, Mr. Ali Nawaz Butt (64) of Larkano, Sindh and Dr. Jagdish Sobhraj Lachani (75) of Ulhasnagar, India, were conferred with the prestigious G. M. Syed Memorial Awards 2014 in recognition of their contributions to Sindhi identity, language, and Sindhi Rights Movement. The G. M. Syed Memorial Awards are conferred to those whose work with dedication to honor the memory of Mr. Syed, a visionary leader who pioneered the Sindhi freedom movement and was a beacon of the Sindhi people's struggle for national self-determination. Previous recipients include renowned Sindhi lumanries: Keerat Babani of Mumbai, India, Ibrahim Joyo of Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan, Dr. Motilal Jotwani of Delhi, India, Sobho Gianchandani of Larkano, Sindh, Azad Qazi of Karachi, Sindh, Mohan Gehani of Dubai, UAE, Kahdim Soomro of Sindh, Dr. Ghanshyam Parkash of India, Dr. Safdar Sarki of USA, Sunder Agnani of India, Abdul Wahid Areesar of Sindh, Khaki Joyo of Sindh, Professor Baldev Matlani of Mumabi, India, Naz Sanai of Saan, Sindh, Professor M. K. Jetley of New Dehli, India, Taj Joyo of Sindh, Veena Shiringi of India, Atta Muhammed Bhambhro of Sindh, Sundri Uttamchandani of Mumbai, India, Abdul Khaliq Junejo of Karachi Sindh and Paru Chawla (82) of Mumbai, India The above winners were conferred with this prestigious award in recognition of “to their exceptional contributions to Sindhi culture, identity and Sindhi rights movement.” Mr. Ali Nawaz Butt is an ardent campaigner of the Sindhi Peasant Movement and is one of the most leading figures of the Jeay Sindh Movement advocating the freedom of the Sindhi Nation and Sindhi Rights. In 1977, he started his affiliation with G M Syed and became one of the leading members of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz, a political party established to struggle for the freedom of Sindh. Over the last 37 years, he never left the Jeay Sindh Movement and currently leads one of the factions of Jeay Sindh Mahaz. Mr. Butt is also a founder of the G M Syed Literary Society which has published more than a dozen books, including a book written by Mr. Butt about the life of Syed. The G. M. Syed Memorial Award is bestowed on Mr. Ali Nawaz Butt, “in appreciation for his struggle and advocacy for national self-determination, democracy, civil rights and freedom for Sindhi peoples and Sindhi Peasants and to recognize his literary work on G M Syed.” Dr. Jagdish Sobhraj Lachani, of Ulhasnagar, India is an eminent writer, who has authored thirty five (35) books in Sindhi, Hindi and English. His books range from literary criticism, teleplays, short stories, novels, biographies and children’s literature. Dr. Lachani was born in Pir-Jo-Goth; Sindh in 1939 and later migrated to India during the great exodus of Sindhi Hindus from Sindh from 1947-1948, at the time of the creation of Pakistan. Dr Lachani currently serves as the Head of a college in Ulhasnagar. Dr. Lachani is a recipient of many awards for his literary works, including the awards from the Central Hindi Directorate, New Delhi, Maharashtra Sindhi Academy and National Council on Promotion of Sindhi Language (NCPSL), Sindhi Sabha Mumbai, and Central Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. Dr. Lachani also served on many educational boards in Mumbai, Pune, the University of Mumbai, the University of Sindh and the National Council for Promotion if Sindhi Language, New Delhi. The G. M. Syed Memorial Award is bestowed on Dr. Jahdish Sobhraj Lachani “in appreciation for his literary works in Sindhi, and for the efforts for the promotion of the Sindhi language and education in India.”