Human Rights Today: Towards a Humanized Society

M.J. Joseph (1941), formerly Professor and Principal of the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam, is now Director of the Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC), Whitefield, Bangalore. He also held several national and international responsible positions with distinction. He was a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Geneva and former Secretary of the Board of Theological Education of the Serampore University. As an eco-social theologian, Joseph has written/edited more than dozen books and several articles in Malayalam and English. He is internationally known champion of wider ecumenism and broader interfaith dialogues. His special eco-friendly mediation is the confluence of all religious ethos and cultures. Rev. Joseph is the recipient of the Bharat Jyothi Award inj 2001 instituted by the India International Friendship Society New Delhi. He is Managing Trustee of the Vigil India Movement (VIM), Bangalore.

P. Jegadish Gandhi (1941), formerly Professor of Economics at Voorhees College, Vellore for over three decades, is now Director of the Vellore Institute of Development Studies. Specialising in Development and Socio-economic issues, Gandhi has more than 200 articles published in leading economic journals and in popular periodicals in India and abroad and 23 books of his credit. His latest book on Dr. Kalam’s PURA Model and Societal Transformation was published in January 2005. he has participated in and presented papers at several national and regional seminars and international conferences. Gandhi jhas the distinction of having been a Visiting Scientist, DST (Government of India) Project, Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (1987-88). He was Vice-President of the International Society for Intercommunication of New Ideas (USA) and Treasurer, Vice-President and President (2000-2001), the Association of Economists of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Gandhi has been honoured with the Senior Economist Award of the Association of economists of Tamil Nadu in 2002. He was an Expert Member of the Working Groups on Road Transport Services, Employmetn/Unemployment and Rural Development in the formulation of 9th & 10th Plans, State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu. Dr. Gandhi is presently an Academic Council Member of Vellore Institute of Technology, Deemed University and Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore. As a social activist, he has been working for the abolition of bonded labour and child labour system among other issues of social concern.