Giraffe Heroes India, an offshoot of the Giraffe Heroes Project of a US-based non-profit organisation, is inviting nominations to honour people involved in a stand-alone act of bravery or heroism in India.

“I am very happy that with the encouraging support and guidance from John Graham and Ann Medlock, the founder of Giraffe Heroes Project-US, it has been possible to cover some distance in our journey to commend Giraffe Heroes from India,” says Vijay K Saluja, director, Giraffe India.

The organisation honours the risk-takers, people who are largely unknown, who have the courage to stick their necks out for common good, in the US and around the world.

It works with the mission to identify and commend ‘real heroes’ in the society and thereafter presenting their stories to the public, so that many other people are inspired to emulate the courageous and caring examples of Giraffe Heroes in helping improve the society and the system.

But their efforts should also be of long term with the noble motive of finding solutions to various ills of the society and actually bringing positive change.

See details at www.giraffe.org/giraffe-heroes-india.

You too can nominate anyone, who is acting courageously to serve the common good or to solve a significant public problem, as ‘Giraffe Hero’.

There are fully-evolved criteria for Giraffedom and the nomination-forms are available at website www.giraffe.org/criteria-for-giraffedom. After the nominations are received, a voluntary jury of learned friends of the 'Project', sometimes including ‘Giraffe Heroes’ themselves, decide the new 'Giraffe Heroes' to be commended.

Giraffe Heroes
Since 1983, Giraffe Heroes Project-US, has chosen over 1,300 people from 27 countries as Giraffe Heroes. In 2010, the Giraffe Heroes Project (US) opened overseas and thus Giraffe Heroes International (GHI) was launched. GHI takes the vision, strategy and materials developed by the Giraffe Project, over the last 30 years to countries where that inspiration and knowledge can make a critical difference helping people solve the problems that challenge their nations and their lives.

In India, the programme was launched in May 2012. Since then, constant and consistent efforts have been on to bring wide awareness about this India programme among many groups and individuals.

Since then it has honoured 14 eminent people in India including Sunitha Krishnan, Usha Narayane, Bunker Roy, Vijay Saluja, Govindappa Venkataswamy as Giraffe Heroes. India GHI Page is available at the link www.giraffe.org/giraffe-heroes-india where the profiles of the Giraffe Heroes commended from India, are also available.

Since 2010, GHI programmes have been launched in Nigeria, Nepal, Sierra-Leone, Egypt, UK and India.

Giraffe Heroes India invites you to have a look at www.giraffe.org/giraffe-heroesindia and send your nominations. www.giraffe.org/criteria-for-giraffedom.

Governance Now is partnering Giraffe Heroes India in this search for India's heroes.