CHENNAI: A total of 13 overseas Indians were honoured with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for their work towards the welfare of people of Indian origin. The awardees included President of Republic of Suriname Ramdien Sardjoe, Vice President of Mauritius Angidi Veeriah Chettiar and management guru Professor C K Prahalad.
President Pratibha Patil presented the awards at the valedictory function of the seventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here.
Closely associated with the Mauritius Labour Party, Angidi Veeriah Chettiar was recognised for his contributions to Indo-Mauritius friendship. Prof C K Prahalad of University of Michigan Business School is one of the greatest Indian business thinkers.
Baroness Shreela Flather, member of the House of Lords, is the first ethnic minority woman to become a councillor in the UK.
Soman Baby, associate editor of Gulf Daily News, is a founder member of the Bahrain-India Society.
Deepak Obhrai, member of Canadian Parliament, contributed immensely to promote India-Canada relations.
Ylias Akbaraly, a prominent businessman from Madagascar, got the award for strengthening India-Malagasy relations and his service to the Indian diaspora.
Tan Sri G Vadiveloo, the only Malaysian-Indian to be elected President of the Malaysian Senate, got recognition for his services to the Indian community there.
Prof Sumit Ganguly, a Political Science professor at Indiana University, USA, was awarded for fostering better understanding of India.
Ram Lakhina, chairman, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation, Amsterdam, worked for the welfare of Indian community in Netherlands. PNC Menon, a philanthropist from Kerala, was awarded for social service and numerous charitable projects in India, including a rehabilitation village for tsunami victims. Paramananthan Prema Naidoo, a leading figure in anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, is a member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment in Johannesburg.
JR Gangaramani is a founder member of Indian Business and Professional Group, Abu Dhabi.