As a part of its annual conference of the Diaspora, the Indian government honoured 14 persons of Indian origin on January 9 at the North Indian city of Jaipur.
President Pratibha Patil conferred the honour to recipients on the third and final day of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD).
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, who was the chief guest at this year’s conference, was among the recipients of the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’ award, which included a citation and a medal.
As well as being a leader of the community and the country, she is the first woman Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is the highest award conferred by the Indian government on Non-resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and institutions run by them for their contribution in serving the Indian diaspora and enhancing India’s image in different parts of the world.
Among the other recipients were P V Radhakrishna Pillai (Bahrain), Sachchidanand Sahai (Cambodia), Deepak Naraindas Shivdasani (Cote D’Ivoire), Victor Shahed Smetacek (Germany), Prakash Lohia, chairman, Indorama Corporation, Jose Parayanken (Mozambique), Kiran Navinchandra Asher (Oman), Hassan Abdulkarim Chougule (Qatar), S R Nathan (Singapore), Khorshed Noshir Ginwala Rustomjee (South Africa), Rajesh Kumar Saraiya (Ukraine), Surendra Kumar Kaushik and Kalpalatha Kummamuri Guntupalli (US) and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
“Indian overseas community is not only large, but is becoming increasingly influential in the economic, professional and political fields in the country in which they are now living. We are proud of their accomplishments,” Ms Patil said.
The tenth edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2012 witnessed the participation of more than 2000 persons of Indian Origin from about 60 countries, stated to be the largest gathering of its type on record.
Photo :
India’s President Pratibha Patil presents the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award to Trinidad & Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar hugs Indian President Pratibha Patil, watched by Indian Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi at the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas conference in Jaipur on January 9, 2012.
Picture by Press Information Bureau, Government of India
