Pravasi awards for Guyana president, 11 others

NEW DELHI: The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards were announced today by Mr JC Sharma, secretary, ministry of external affairs. This year 12 outstanding NRIs/PIOs are being awarded.
The reciepients of this year are Mr Bharrat Jagdeo, president Republic of Guyana, Lord Meghnad Desai (UK), Justice Ahmed Moosa Ebrahim (Zimbabwe), Professor Dipak C Jain of Kellogg Business School (USA), late Ms. Kalpana Chawla (USA), Mr. Fitz Remedios Santana De Souza (Kenya), Mr Mahendra Pal Chaudhary (Fiji), Dr Mariam Chisti (Kuwait), Narinder Singh Kapany (USA) Mr P. Mohammed Ali (Oman), Shashi Tharoor (USA), Ms Sukhi Turner (New Zealand).
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards have been instituted to recognise and reward the meritorious contributions made by NRIs, and PIOs in the furtherance of India’s interests and causes, for fostering better understanding of India and for furthering the cause of the diaspora. With these awards which were instituted at the first pravasi Bharatiya Divas, NRIs and PIOs are no longer considered for the Padma awards. Nominations for these awards are done through the heads of Indian missions, persons of indian origin who are members of parliament or legislatures, and the chairperson of the ministry of external affairs standing committee, Ms Krishna Bose.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is jointly organised by the ministry of external affairs and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).