GOPIO-CT

GLOBAL ORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN

Connecticut Chapter

98 Lynam Road, Stamford, CT 06903

GOPIO-CONNECTICT TO HONOR FOUR AT ITS ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

STAMFORD, CT – When GOPIO-Connecticut celebrates its first anniversary with a banquet at the Italian Center of Stamford, three Indian Americans and an organization will be honored by the organization for their outstanding achievements and service to the community at an Awards Banquet on April 22^nd starting at 5 p.m. They are: Prof. T.N. Srinivasan of Yale University for his accomplishments and contributions to economics and public policy, Dr. A.V. Srinivasan for his contribution to engineering and social work and Rajendra Shukla for community service. Namaskar Foundation which has been bringing Indian artists to perform in America for the last two decades will be honored for promotion of arts and culture.

GOPIO – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – is a worldwide organization dedicated to community service and working with people locally to coordinate activities of common interest nationally and on a global scale. GOPIO-CT was launched last year at the initiative of GOPIO International Chairman  Dr. Thomas Abraham.  

“In one year, GOPIO-CT has become a very active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with many policy makers, youth mentoring and networking, parent’s day and health awareness series,” said Dr. Abraham.

Sangeeta Ahuja who has been elected as the chapter’s first president said that to become a distinguished organization involves a lot of voluntary community service work from its members.

“We will assess our community’s needs for the future, set right priorities and plan new activities for our community. Whether it is investment opportunities in India, health care in the US, promoting our culture, preserving our heritage or providing support for our members….we will continue to develop collaborative relationships with other organizations and navigate our way to the future.” Ahuja added.

The guests of honor at the Awards Banquet are Indian Consul General Neelam Deo and Congressman Christopher Shays. The program includes Indian classical dances, Odissi by students of Kala Shakti School of Indian Dance directed by Sonal Vora and Kathak by students of India Performing Arts Center directed by Rachna Agarwal.  And added attraction will be the jazz band of King and Low-Heywood Thomas School directed by John Propper.

GOPIO CT AWARDEES – 2007

Rajendra Shukla – Community Service

Rajendra Shukla has been serving the Indian American community and the larger society for the past four decades. In the 1970s, while serving as the Chairman of Indian Cultural Society in New Jersey, Shukla along with other community activists bought the land and initiated fundraising for Mahatma Gandhi Center, which was completed in 2003, which also serves as a temple. Shukla served as the President of the Federation of Indian Association of NY, NJ and CT in 1993-’94 and organized one of the largest India Day parades in Manhattan. A trustee and board member of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Shukla was awarded as the Man of the Year by News India Times in 1993. For his service to the American Society, especially in the Waterbury and Naugatuck areas of Connecticut, Shukla was recognized with a Peace Award from United Cultural Convention Sitting in the US early this year. Above all, Shukla has been philanthropist for community causes in the US as well as in India , many a times as an anonymous donor.

Dr. T. N. Srinivasan – Economics and Public Policy

Dr. T.N. Srinivasan, is the Samuel C. Park, Jr. Professor of Economics and former chairman of the department of economics at Yale University, where he has taught since 1980. He was a special adviser to the Development Research Center at the World Bank from 1977 to 1980, and has taught at numerous academic institutions over the past four decades, including MIT, Stanford University, and the Indian Statistical Institute. He has authored a prolific collection of books and articles on econometrics, world trade, and developing country economics. He has been a visiting fellow at the Center for Research on Economic Development and Policy Reform, Stanford University; fellow at the Econometric Society, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and American Philosophical Society; and a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. He was chosen as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association in 2003. In 2008, President of India conferred Padma Bhushan to Prof. Srinivasan.

Dr. Amrutur V. Srinivasan – Engineering and Social Work

Dr. A. V. Srinivasan served in the Senior Executive Service at the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Washington, as a member of the President’s Commission on Executive Exchange sent from United Technologies in 1990-91 and was the recipient of the 1997 Intl. Scholar Award presented by the Intl. Gas Turbine Technology Institute (IGTI) of ASME. He co-authored a report while serving as a member of the Indo-US Commission on Aeronautics in 1984-86 set up by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Elected twice to serve on the Glastonbury Town Council, he served as Vice Chairman in his second term. He was instrumental to build the first sanctified Hindu temple in Connecticut, the Satyanarayana Temple in Middletown; founded the RAGA Club of CT and was awarded the title Kala Seva Mani early this month at the annual Tyagaraja Aradhana in Cleveland for his decades of service to Indian classical music. In addition to a collection of archival papers in Jet Engines Technology, Management and Hindu Philosophy, his publications range from Smart Structures, a leading edge textbook to his current book, The Vedic Wedding: Origins, Tradition and Practice.

Namaskar Foundation – Arts and Culture

Namaskaar Foundation was founded in 1988 with a specific goal to promote, preserve and raise greater awareness and appreciation for the traditional performing arts and culture of India, among Indians and American friends through presentation of music, dance and theatre from all regions of India. World on Stage is the result of an initiative started in 1999 by the Namaskaar Foundation in its continued effort to build a new audience, and share and exchange the cultural heritage of the world by presentation of traditional Music, Dance and Theatre from around the World.