The award is presented annually to ordiary citizens who make an extraordinary contribution to society. George, an ex-convict, runs the Precious Children's Home, which looks after prisoners' children. ``Reny is serving time of a different kind -- to change peoples' perceptions of a prisoner's child. Through the work that he does, he repents for his crime and seeks pardon silently,'' she said.

In his acceptance speech, George admitted that in the eyes of society, he would remain an ex-convict forever and urged those who were not thus tainted to try and make a difernce to the lives of ``these children who have been to hell.'' ``I haven't done anything to deserve this award except to be a caring citizen,'' he added.

Bedi, former IG in charge of Tihar Jail, knownfor her revolutionay prison reform methods, reiterated that the only way to reduce crime was ``to use punishment time for the restoration of prisoners. Prisons, if left alone, are breeding places for criminal ideas. The key to reform is education.''One gentleman announced his intention to adopt one of the children from the Precious Children's Home. George's message seems to have finally struck home.