The 2019 Global teacher award winner Br Peter Tabichi has been conferred the 2020 Ahimsa Award by the Trustees of the Institute of Jainology in London for selfless action and compassion.

The Ahimsa Award is an annual award given by the Institute of Jainology in recognition of individuals who promote the principles of non-violence and compassion. The celebration of the day, also known as Ahimsa day, is often celebrated on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Br Tabichi was awarded this year’s award by the institute for his compassion in his work to support his students and community. The announcement was made during the 18th Jain All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Ahimsa Day meeting online.

“He personifies peace, love and compassion in his work with both his students and his community, and truly represents the message of Ahimsa. We look forward to seeing his ongoing success as well as being a beacon for teachers and community leaders everywhere,” stated the Institute of Jainlogy Managing Trustee Dr. Mehool Sanghrajka.

Tabichi, who rose to be awarded the Global Teacher award in 2019 said that it was an honour to receive the award. He was also chosen for his work in enhancing school attendance and decreasing cases of violence by educating communities on growing crops that are drought-resistant.

“It is a huge honour and very humbling to be the recipient of the 2020 Ahimsa Award and I want to thank the Institute of Jainology very much for their wonderful kindness. That it is for peace, love and compassion, that Jainology is all about non-violence and compassion, is very dear to my heart as a religious man,” Tabichi said.

Tabichi was chosen for this year’s honour for his work in dramatically enhancing attendance at his college, decreasing ranges of native violence and even educating native communities on how one can develop crops that may resist famine.

He added that he entered the religious life so as to freely use his gift for the benefit of the community and dedicate himself to teaching just as his father who was a teacher.

“I entered the religious life because I wanted to freely express my gift to the community and be able to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the teaching profession without holding anything back. My father and other members of my family were teachers and true role models for me when I was growing up. I admired their sense of selfless dedication to wanting to improve the lives of others through the gift of teaching,” he added.

The Institute of Jainlology (IOJ) represents 32 UK-based Jain organizations in authorities and inter-non secular affairs.

The award came days after Tabichi alongside world marathon holder Eliud Kipchoge among several others were sworn into Heroes Council.

Their work will include formulating and implementing a policy relating to national heroes, identifying, and recommending national heroes and enforcing sanctions and penalties in respect of disgraced national heroes.

The Council shall have regard to patriotism, national unity, the rule of law, sharing and devolution of power as well as human dignity, equity, social justice, and inclusiveness.

Br Tabichi, a maths and physics teacher at Keriko Secondary school in Pwani village, Njoro rose to the global limelight empowering learners and the community in the rural village. He is also recognised for using 80 percent of his salary to support the education of needy students. As a member of the catholic Franciscan Brothers,  he has actively been empowering the rural poor through education, sustainable agriculture and peace building.

Tabichi won the 2019 Global Teacher Prize in March 2019 at the Global Education & Skills Forum in Dubai.