Profiles of Pravasi award winners

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Profiles of Pravasi award winners

 

Hyderabad: Following are brief profiles of the 15 prominent members of

the Indian diaspora who were Monday honoured with the Pravasi

Bharatiya Samman.

 

1. Jean-Paul Virapoulle is a senator in the French Senate and mayor of

Saint Andre, Reunion Island. He is the longest serving Mayor of Saint

Andre, from 1992 till date, which is proof of his popularity. He has

worked to promote relations between India and Reunion Island,

particularly in culture and economy. At his initiative, the idea of

setting up an Indian Museum in Saint Andre was mooted a few years ago

and is in good progress.

 

Due to his efforts, Deepavali was introduced to the Indian community

in the island and is now celebrated with great fanfare, particularly

in his constituency of Saint Andre.

 

Virapulle was recognized for his outstanding contribution in the

political arena and championing the cause of the Indian community.

 

2. Fareed Zakaria was named editor of Newsweek International in

October 2000, overseeing all Newsweek editions abroad. He also writes

a regular column for Newsweek. Zakaria came to the magazine from

Foreign Affairs, the widely circulated journal of international

politics and economics, where he was managing editor.

 

Zakaria is the author of many books. His most recent book, "The Future

of Freedom", published in 2003, was a New York Times bestseller and

has been translated into 18 languages.

 

He has won numerous awards and was named "one of the 21 most important

people of the 21st century" by Esquire magazine. He serves on the

boards of the Trilateral Commission, the International Institute of

Strategic Studies and the Council of Foreign Relations, among others.

 

Zakaria was recognised for his outstanding contribution in journalism

and political thought.

 

3. Sisupal Rambharos served as member of the Arya Yuvak Sabha and

secretary of the Aryan Benevolent Home (ABH) Council and chairman

during 1959-95. He has dedicated his life to serving the needs of

children and aged in various organisations such as the Ladysmith

Indian Child Welfare Society, Lakehaven's Children's Home, Natal

Indian Council for Child and Family Welfare, Natal Coastal Council for

the aged and South African National Council for the Aged.

 

One of the most highly decorated public figures in Durban, Rambharos

has received several distinctions such as the Civic Honour awarded by

the Durban city council in 1985, Distinguished Service Award of

Chatsworth Jaycess the same year, and Arya Ratna at the International

Vedic Conference of 1983.

 

A doyen of social welfare, he has served the poor and the

disadvantaged throughout his life, imbued with Vedic ideals.

 

Rambharos was recognized for his contribution to the propagation of

India's rich cultural and spiritual heritage, and indefatigable

service to society.

 

4. Yesu Persaud is most prominent businessman and leading

industrialist of Guyana. He holds ownership of a diverse group of

industries and businesses and is well known in business and social

circles.

 

Persaud is a founding member of the Indian Arrival Committee which was

later converted into the Indian Commemoration Trust. He is

single-handedly responsible for creating the Monument Garden which

proudly hosts the replica of HMS Whitby, which brought the first batch

of Indian indentured labourers to Guyana in 1838. His love and

affection for India are well known. He has been awarded the Gandhi

Organisation Plaque for his contribution to promoting Indian culture

in Guyana.

 

He has received several international and national awards including

the third highest award of the country, the Cacique Crown of Honour

for the development of new industries in Guyana in 1983 and Glory of

India Award and Certificate of Excellence by the India International

Friendship Society in 2005.

 

Persaud is recognised for his outstanding contribution in business and

for furthering India's causes and concerns.

 

5. C.K. Menon, a business magnate, is renowned for his generosity

among the community in Qatar. His business activities are spread all

over the Middle East with a base in Qatar.

 

Menon is a philanthropist and has been helping the cause of the people

of India as well as in the Middle East. He has contributed

significantly to the Indian community in terms of leadership and

resources.

 

Menon was recognized for his business achievements and for enhancing

the image of India abroad.

 

6. Abdool Raouf Bundhun, a man of erudition and political leadership,

has had a chequered political career and is currently vice president

of Mauritius. A Muslim with a secular outlook, he has played an

important role in bringing the Hindu and Muslim communities together.

He is pro-actively interested in diaspora affairs and is an active

member of GOPIO International.

 

Bundhun was recognised for his stellar contribution in promoting

India's image and epitomising the values of secularism and social justice.

 

7. Niranjan S. Shah is chairman and CEO of Globetrotters Engineering

Corporation since 1974. He is well known for his active and selfless

association with social, humanitarian and religious work. He is a

central coordinator for all social and charitable activities of the

Hindu Samaj in Chicago.

 

Shah has been a powerful force in gaining support in Congress for

Indian and Indian-Americans. He is a formidable fundraiser for the

American Indian Foundation and provided 200,000 pounds of food,

medical supplies, clothing and shelter for victims of the 2001 Gujarat

earthquake. He has established himself as a leader of various

organisations and developed valuable contacts in the US government.

 

Shah was recognised for his immense contribution towards promoting

India-US relations and for his excellent leadership qualities and

contribution to India's concerns.

 

8. Majid Uddin Kazi, a renowned cardiologist, is the personal

physician to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and director of the Royal

Clinic. In the last 32 years, by his exemplary work and expertise, he

has been instrumental in establishing a good reputation for Indian

doctors and has played an important role in opening doors in the

Kingdom for Indian doctors and professionals. Besides, he is actively

involved in efforts for the welfare of the members of Indian community

and several charitable projects.

 

Kazi was recognised for his service to his profession and the Indian

diaspora.

 

9. Sir Gulam Kaderbhai Noon is the chairman and founder of Noon

Products Limited of Southall, London. He has used the prominence

achieved in public life in promoting Indian values in the blending of

secular and spiritual identity and dialogue among civilisations. He

has published articles opposing extremist trends among Islamic

communities in Britain and espousing moderation and civic

responsibility. He is thus a role model for the young generation.

 

Noon is recognised for his exemplary contribution towards enhancing

India's image abroad and in promoting Indian values.

 

10. Ellahu Bezale, an agriculture scientist, has established himself

as an Indian immigrant who pioneered desert cultivation and

horticulture in Israel. He has advanced India's interests in Israel by

pioneering agricultural technology and successfully completing a

number of projects in Israel apart from introducing and promoting

modern farming techniques in India.

 

Bezale was recognised for his outstanding achievements in agriculture

and for promoting India's concerns.

 

11. Shivnath Rai Bajaj is chairman of the Diwanchand Group of Thailand

and a revered figure in the Indian community, renowned for his

entrepreneurship and enthusiasm. Under his leadership, the group has

developed manifold in the last 20 years. He had served as president of

the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce for two consecutive terms. He was

committee member of the Board of Trade for two years and also served

the Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge for many years.

 

In 1979 he was awarded the Noble Order of the 4th class. He was

awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of

Thailand, the first Indian to be so honoured by the King of Thailand

in 1981. He has played a crucial role in charitable institutions,

donating funds for building schools, awarding scholarships and giving

aid to hospitals.

 

He was president of the Indian Association for two years and served

the Hindu Samaj as committee member and president for over 10 years.

 

Bajaj was recognised for his outstanding contribution towards India's

causes and

 

12. Sudhir Parikh, a practising consulting allergist, has served as

president of the Federation of Indian Associations in the US in the

recent past. He has received international acclaim in the treatment of

allergy, asthma and immunology and is listed in the Who's Who is

America in the field of medicine. His contributions to the Indian

American community in the last two decades have been immense. As a

community leader he has helped build temples and community centres and

played a key role in the first ever celebration of Diwali at the White

House.

 

He is president of the Indian America Forum for Political Education,

the largest and oldest Indian lobbying body in Washington DC and has

been part of high-level delegations to India on various subjects. He

raised $150,000 from the US after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.

 

Parikh was recognised for his dedication to the community and

contribution to further India's causes and concerns.

 

13. Pratima Kale is president of the International Institute of Rural

Reconstruction at Manila in the Philippiens. She has worked as special

adviser to the executive director of UNICEF in New York and as

regional director for East Asia and Pacific Region of UNICEF during

1995-98. Kale was awarded for her contribution to the well-being of

children and women of Vietnam by the president of that country in 1997.

 

Kale was recognised for her contribution in social service.

 

14. Rusy M. Shroff is managing director of Ruttonjee Estates

Continuation Limited, a company admired for its integrity in business.

He was appointed a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British

Empire (MBE) in 1995.

 

He is one of the most respected figures in Hong Kong's business and

social circles and has contributed significantly to enhancing India's

profile in the local community. He is the doyen of the local Parsi

community.

 

Shroff was recognised for his commendable activities and for

contributing towards promoting India's image abroad.

 

15. V. Ramadoss is a well-known doctor of Indian origin and business

entrepreneur in Seychelles. Among Ramadoss' contribution to the local

community is the donation of a highly sophisticated CT scan and other

life-saving equipment to the Victoria Hospital. He is also adviser to

the health ministry in Seychelles.

 

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