PBD 2017: 30 NRIs honoured with Bharatiya Samman Awards

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees pose for a picture with President Pranab Mukherjee. Photo courtesy: Twitter page of PBD2017

On the third and final day of the 14th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA) were conferred.

K Kesavapany Photo courtesy: apsarasarts

Chaired by the Hon’ble Vice-President, the Jury-cum-Awards Committee listed out 30 awardees, including K Kesavapany – Singapore Indian Association – Community Service, Vasudev Shamdas Shroff – United Arab Emirates – Community Service, Neena Gill – United Kingdom – Public Service, and Dr Sampatkumar Shidramapa Shivangi – the USA – Community Leadership.

Neena Gill Photo: Connected to India

A list of 123 nominations was found eligible as per the guidelines and another list of 55 nominations was received. The nominations were initially examined by a Screening Committee comprising of Officers from the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Jury members considered all eligible nominations and the relevant information placed before the Committee. After detailed discussions, thirty nominees were unanimously recommended by the Jury-cum-Awards Committee for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards-2017.

The names of the awardees are:  

1. Dr Gorur Krishna Harinath – Australia – Community Service
2. Mr. Rajasekharan Pillai Valavoor Kizhakkathil – Bahrain – Business
3. Antwerp Indian Association – Belgium – Community Service
4. Mr. Nazeer Ahamed Mohamed Zackiriah – Brunei – Community Service
5. Mr. Mukund Bhikhubhai Purohit – Canada – Business
6. Mr. Nalinkumar Sumanlal Kothari – Djibouti – Community Service
7. Mr. Vinod Chandra Patel – Fiji – Social Service
8. Mr. Raghunath Marie Antonin Manet – France – Arts & Culture
9. Dr. Lael Anson E. Best – Israel – Medical Science
10. Dr. Sandip Kumar Tagore – Japan – Arts & Culture
11. Mr. Ariful Islam – Libya – Community Service
12. Tan Sri Dato Dr. Muniandy Thambirajah – Malaysia – Education and Community Service
13. Hon’ble Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth – Mauritius – Public Service
14. H.E. Mr. Antonio Luis Santos da Costa – Portugal – Public Service
15. Dr. Raghavan Seetharaman – Qatar – Business Management
16. Ms. Zeenat Musarrat Jafri – Saudi Arabia – Education
17. Singapore Indian Association – Singapore – Community Service
18. Dr. Carani Balaraman Sanjeevi – Sweden – Medicine
19. Mr. Susheel Kumar Saraff – Thailand – Business
20. Mr. Winston Chandarbhan Dookeran – Trinidad & Tobago – Public Service
21. Mr. Vasudev Shamdas Shroff – United Arab Emirates – Community Service
22. India Social and Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates – Philanthropy and Community Service
23. Rt. Hon’ble Ms. Priti Patel – United Kingdom -Public Service
24. Ms. Neena Gill – United Kingdom – Public Service
25. Mr. Hari Babu Bindal – USA – Environmental Engineering
26. Dr. Bharat Haridas Barai – USA – Community Service
27. Ms. Nisha Desai Biswal – USA – Public Affairs
28. Dr. Mahesh Mehta – USA – Community Service
29. Mr. Ramesh Shah – USA – Community Service
30. Dr. Sampatkumar Shidramapa Shivangi – USA – Community Leadership