A few days ago, Shabana Azmi announced that Javed Akhtar bagged the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for his contribution to secularism, free thinking, for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He became the first Indian to win this prestigious award. However, soon after, a few Twitter users shared a forwarded WhatsApp message that claimed the lyricist had only been nominated but did not win. Shabana Azmi dismissed the claim, and now Richard Dawkins himself has confirmed that Akhtar is the recipient of the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award.
On Tuesday, the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins tweeted that he couldn’t be more pleased that Javed Akhtar won the Award. “Javed Akhtar @Javedakhtarjadu is the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award winner and I could not be more pleased. The Center for Inquiry, on whose board I sit, has designated him this year's recipient for his courageous public stands on behalf of atheism, rationality, and freethought,” read Richard Dawkins’ tweet. Before this, Shabana Azmi had also replied to a user who uploaded a screenshot on a WhatsApp chat claiming that Javed Akhtar’s name was only proposed for the award, however, he misunderstood it as an announcement. Dismissing the claims, Shabana Azmi had replied, “This is patently untrue! We have an email from Richard Dawkins on 5th June offering the award and also from Robyn Blumner who heads the Centre for Inquiry, USA. I feel sad for these pathetic trolls who do not care that they will stand exposed in seconds for such a preposterous claim.”
Now after Richard Dawkins confirmed that Javed Akhtar indeed is the recipient of this award, Shabana Azmi tweeted, “From Richard Dawkins. Now where will the Dirty Tricks Department of the Right Wing hide their faces?"
THIS IS PATENTLY UNTRUE! We have an email from Richard Dawkins on 5th June offering the award and also from Robyn Blumner who heads the Centre for Inquiry USA.I feel sad 4 these pathetic trolls who do not care that they will stand exposed in seconds 4 such a preposterous claim ! https://t.co/Ro1ejCNSdk
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) June 9, 2020
Javed Akhtar @Javedakhtarjadu is the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award winner and I could not be more pleased. The Center for Inquiry, on whose board I sit, has designated him this year's recipient for his courageous public stands on behalf of atheism, rationality, and freethought.
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) June 9, 2020
Meanwhile, Javed Akhtar opened up about winning the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award, and while speaking to Indian Express, he said, “These are the people of the same ideology, but I wasn’t sure they would know of my existence or what I have written and my opinions. I had no idea it would reach so far! So, it is a huge recognition.” ALSO READ: Javed Akhtar Becomes The First Indian To Win The Richard Dawkins Award, Says: ‘Wasn’t Sure They Would Know Of My Existence’
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