Veteran Javed Akhtar was given the Charvaka award on 17th September by the Brights Society (Society for Rational Atheists) in Sangli on 17th September. The award was given to him for empowering rationalists and being a vocal champion for atheism in India. Charvaka is a 3,500-year-old movement in India.
The writer-lyricist-poet had been invited to Sangli by the Society to attend the Atheist Conference on 16th and 17th September as the chief guest and speaker.
Javed Akhtar is known for his strong views on rationality and calls himself a proud atheist. He was the first Indian to receive the Richard Dawkins award for the same.