The story of a peacemaker and an award for efforts to promote amity

The Karunanidhi government instituted the Kottai Ameer Communal Harmony Award in 2000 in honour of V.M. Ameer, who had stood firmly against religious polarisation but fell victim to Islamic fundamentalism. He was born at Kottaimedu in Coimbatore and strove for harmony lifelong, especially after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992