By IANS
New York : Sudhir Parikh, asthma and allergy consultant known for his philanthropy and community service leadership, has been conferred the Paul Harris Award, one of the highest honours from Rotary International.
The award was presented to him Saturday at a reception at the Hyatt Regency, Jersey City in New Jersey, a press release said.
Those who came to congratulate Dr Parikh included Congressman Anthony Weiner, Indian Ambassador to Argentina, Pramathesh Rath, Indian Consul General in New York, Neelam Deo, Indian Parliamentarian Urmila Ben Patel, hotelier Sant Chatwal and Ketan Gandhi, publisher of a New Jersey paper titled Home News Tribune. The occasion also marked the doctor's birthday.
Video greetings came from new age author Deepak Chopra, yoga guru Swami Ramdev, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma and New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine.
A documentary on the life and achievements of Parikh was screened as well. It carried compliments from Swaminarayans' religious leader, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, industrialist Srichand Hinduja and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The highlight of the evening was a performance by Broadway artists and a fireworks display on the Hudson river that separates New Jersey from New York . Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam made a surprise appearance and even sang a few lines on request.
Parikh is also a recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medals of Honor 2005, the highest civilian honour given to an immigrant in the US for community and social service, and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2006, the Indian government's honour for NRIs.
As a community activist, Parikh has supported several charities with personal donations totalling over $2 million. He has also helped lobby for better Indo-US relations.
The doctor from Gujarat has a multi-clinic practice in asthma and allergies in New Jersey state.