India Abroad, America's oldest Indian community weekly and a publication of Rediff.Com India Ltd. has honored GOPIO Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham at its annual banquet with its Award for Lifetime Service to the Community on June 29^th at The Pierre Hotel in New York. Dr. Abraham, a veteran community leader has been the prime mover of the overseas Indian movement and founded many community organizations. Others recognized at the awards banquet included US Attorney for New York Southern District Preet Bharara as India Abroad Person of the Year 2011, writer Anita Desaifor Lifetime Achievement, Democratic Party political activist Neera Tanden with India Abroad Publisher's Special Award for Excellence, Professors Susanne and Lloyd Rudolph with India Abroad Friend of India Awards, computer scientistDr.Shwetak N. Patel with Face of the Future Award, and India Abroad Special Awards to US Army Major Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, US Army Hindu Chaplain Captain Pratima Dharm and Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion Sukanya Roy.

Photo above: Award recipients at India Abroad Annual Awards held in new York City on June 29th, 2012. From L. to R. Captain Pratima Dharm, Major Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, Sukanya Roy, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Prof. Lloyd Rudolph, Anita Desai, Preet Barara, Neera Tanden and Dr. Shwetak Patel.

Dr. Abraham has been involved in the NRI/PIO movement for the last 4 decades. Dr. Abraham's involvement in the Indian American community started in New York in 1976, when he was elected at the Chairman of the Joint Committee of Indian Organizations. In 1977, he brought together all Indian community groups in the New York area under the umbrella of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA). In 1980, Dr. Abraham as FIA President organized the First Convention of Asian Indians in North America attracting as many 1500 delegates from all over the United States for a convention in New York which resulted in the formation of the National Federation of Indian American Associations. Dr. Abraham coined the word PIO (people of Indian origin) in 1989, when he served as the convener of the First Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York. The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) was formed at this convention of which he served as its first convener/president from 1989-2004 and Chairman 2004-2009. GOPIO is a worldwide organization unifying the whole Indian Diaspora with chapters in 30 countries. Other groups he initiated include National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens (NIAASC) in 1998, South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) in 2000 and The Indus Nanotechnology Association (TINA) in 2011. He is also co-founder of Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center in New York and served as the co-chairman of the campaign to raise funds for Jagdish Bhagwati Chair for Indian Political Economy at Columbia University with an endowment of $4.0 million.

Through these organizations, Dr. Abraham has helped to build a solid base for India in various countries and the Indian Diaspora. In the last 23 years, GOPIO took up several issues of NRIs/PIOs to the United Nations, India and other countries. Currently, Dr. Abraham, serves as the Executive Trustee of GOPIO International Foundation. Dr. Abraham served as the founding president of FIA from 1977 to 1981, and founding president of NFIA from 1980 to '88 and as NFIA Chairman from 1988 to '92. He conceived the idea of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) in New York and helped to start such umbrella organizations (FIAs) in other US cities. FIA New York does the largest India Day Parade outside India.

In recognition of his selfless community service, Dr. Abraham was presented with Bharatvanshi Gaurav (Person of Indian Origin Pride) Award by former Vice President of India Bhairon Singh Sekhawat and Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honor) Award by President of India in January, 2008 for his outstanding service to the Indian communities worldwide and India. Dr. Abraham was also presented the Outstanding Alumnus Award by the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) at its annual convocation in November 2008.

A graduate of Columbia University, Dr Abraham is an expert in advanced materials and nanotechnology and is President of Innovative Research and Products (iRAP), Inc., a Stamford, CT (USA) based technology and market research firm. Dr. Abraham has written over 50 papers that are published in the various professional journals and magazines.

Born in Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Abraham came to the US in 1973. He is married to Susy, a physician/geriatrician and has two children, Nitya, an urologist fellow at Cleveland Clinic and Jay, an aircraft design engineer currently working for Pratt&Whitney. Abrahams live in Stamford, CT, USA.

LORD KHALID HAMEED HONORED WITH FREEDOIM OF THE CITY OF LONDON AWARD

Lord Khalid Hameed has been given the Freedom of the City of London award in recognition of his work within the medical profession and in promotion of interfaith relations. Lord Hameed, who hails from Lucknow, is currently the chairman of Alpha Hospital Group and chairman and chief executive officer of the London International Hospital. Prior to this, he was the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Cromwell Hospital in London.

Lord Hameed chairs the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council. A Board member of the British Muslim Research Centre, Lord Hameed supports various charities and was awarded the Sternberg Award for 2005 for his contribution to further Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations. He was the first Asian high sheriff of Greater London for 2006-2007. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award by India in 2009.

In contemporary society the award of Freedom of the City tends to be entirely ceremonial, given by the local government to those who have served in some exceptional capacity, to celebrate a significant achievement or to pay tribute to their outstanding contribution to London life.

MISS WORLD 1966 REITA FARIA POWELL FELICITATED

Reita Faria Powell, the first Indian to wear the Miss World crown in 1966, was among several Goan origin individuals felicitated during the UK Goan Festival. Wearing her Goan heritage proudly, she is a role model for the community.

A major event in the annual cultural calendar, the festival attracted nearly 9,000 visitors this year. The event attracted visitors from all over the UK as well as from Australia, Canada and the Middle East. Festival events included an open air mass partly conducted in Konkani by a visiting priest from Goa and two local priests; several cultural performances, and Goan food.

First organised by the Goan Association in 1985, the festival also felicitated senior Labour leader Keith Vaz, of Goa origin, who recently completed 25 years as a member of parliament. The event was attended by other MPs such as Virendra Sharma and John McDonnell.

The UK Goan community has recently secured funding from the UK Heritage Lottery Fund for a project to record the oral histories of British Goans who arrived in this country from East Africa.

INDO-AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY CHAMPION ENDOWED WITH WELL-DESERVED ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

Indian-American Rahul Nagvekars won the National Geographic Bee Championship with an educated guess about the Bavarian city that was a legislative seat of the Holy Roman Empire from 1663 to 1806.

As part of this year's Australia Day Honours, Adelaide's Dr Jagan Mazumdar became the recipient of the Order of Australia (OA) "for service to applied mathematics and bio-medical engineering as a researcher and educator, and to the Indian community". This award is an acknowledgment of his contribution to academia and service to the Indian community.

Dr Mazumdar and his wife Maya are 'pioneer' immigrants because when they arrived at Adelaide in 1966, there were only three Indian families here, including them. As he established himself as a valuable staff member of Adelaide University's Mathematics Department, they helped other Indian migrants who started arriving in the 70s and 80s, offering support in a variety of ways.

During his forty plus years at Adelaide University, Dr Mazumdar was involved in two main areas of research - Solid Mechanics, and his latter-day love of Biomedical Engineering. His interest in Biomedical Engineering led him to undertake research on non-invasive study of heart valves tissue pathology. He was also involved in research on tissue engineering on articular cartilage impacting on osteoarthiritis that affects some 10 percent of Australians.

Dr Mazumdar has published over 200 research papers and written two seminal books. In view of his scholarship in biomedical engineering, he was one of the few non-engineers elected to a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers.

With only four Indian families in Adelaide in 1968, he formed the India Club. He served as President of the Indian Australian Association of SA (1974-76) and the Hindu Society (1996-98). Dr Mazumdar still maintains active interest in the local Indian community. His wife Maya has held many offices at the Indian Association for several years, and in her role as the Welfare Secretary, she has helped numerous Indian migrant families sort out their early problems when settling down in a new country.

INDIAN AMERICAN ARTIST RECEIVES THE NICHOLAS GREEN DISTINGUISHED STUDENT AWARD

Ten-year-old Sana Nadkarni, of Andover, Massachusetts, was chosen as Massachusetts' winner of the Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award from the National Association of Gifted Children. Nadkarni's artistic outlet of choice is painting. Her paintings were featured last year as a solo exhibit at the Massachusetts State House in Boston.

She has had several other exhibitions at varied locations from town libraries to corporate buildings to colleges. Her paintings are also featured at a number of area hospitals, including a traveling exhibit at Children's Hospital in Boston. Her art has also been on display at libraries, hospitals and galleries.

Nadkarni has won a number of awards related to art including in the 2011 Massachusetts School Library Association Bookmark Contest, 2011 Junior Federal Duck Stamp Contest and PBS 2011 GO Writer's Contest and 2011 U.S. Arts Olympiad.

The Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Awards is designed to recognize distinguished achievement in academics, leadership, or the arts, in children. The National Association of Gifted Children believes that the Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Awards inspire children to achieve to their fullest potential, highlight high-ability students, and draw attention to the educational needs of our nation's gifted and talented students.

SCOTLAND UNIVERSITY HONORS NRI ENTREPRENEURS HARI HARILELA

Hari Harilela, Indian origin entrepreneurs in Hong Kong who founded a billion-dollar enterprise, has been honoured with honorary doctorate in Business Administration by the Edinburgh Napier University. He was conferred the honour in recognition of his outstanding contribution to business and higher education. 

Harilela, 90, is Chairman of the Harilela Group, which owns a range of companies across the world including restaurants, hotels and real estate. He has been previously honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman from India as well as the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

As a philanthropist, he contributed substantially to the relief effort in the wake of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and is also a firm supporter of education and the growth of young people. 

Professor Dame Joan Stringer, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: "Dr Hari Harilela's life has been one of fortitude and determination, a vivid example of how one can not only overcome poverty but also go on to make a tangible difference to the lives of many".

INDIAN DOCTORS IN THE US AIM TO ADVANCE SCIENCE OF HEALING

The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), a powerful professional community of doctors with over 65,000 members, has not only become a "force to reckon with" but aims to "advance the science of healing" worldwide.

According to the new AAPI president Narendra Kumar, "AAPI has become a force to reckon with; we will all work together, stay focused and make you proud of our organization." Kumar has been practicing otolaryngology - head & neck surgery - in Saginaw, Michigan since 1988.

The members of the new executive committee are: Jayesh Shah, president-elect; Ravi Jahagirdar, vice president; Seema Jain, secretary; Ajay Lodha, treasurer; Durgesh Mankikar, chairman, board of trustees; Kusum Punjabi, Young Physician Section (YPS) president; and Amit Bhakoo, medical student, Resident and Fellows Section (MSRF) president.

Shah, an internationally recognised clinician in wound management and hyperbaric medicine and a two-time recipient of Jefferson C Davis Memorial Award at the Gulf Coast Chapter, has pioneered the formation of Hyperbaric Medical Society in India. "With its extensive knowledge network, AAPI could advance the science of healing all over the world," said Shah, the youngest president-elect of AAPI.

Jahagirdar, one of the pioneers of robotic surgery in his field has a special interest in obtaining industry liaison and corporate sponsorship for conditions unique to the Indian Diaspora. Jain, a practicing psychiatrist in New Jersey, sees her role as a woman leader in AAPI to take up women's health issues in society. Treasurer Lodha wants AAPI "to be a platform in helping our young physicians coming from India to seek residencies and to help them in settlement and to get jobs".

GOPIO Senior Vice President - Dr Piyush Agrawal, Weston, Florida, USA, Tel: +1-954-684-6494, E-mail:sudhapca@aol.com

To become a Life member of GOPIO, one can sign up online at http://gopio.net/online_membership.htm or fill up the form and send it with a check to: GOPIO International, PO Box 560117, New York NY 11356, USA.

 Contact Dr. Thomas Abraham, Tel: 203-329-8010, E-mail: gopio@optonline.net.

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