By IANS
New York : Three Padma awardees attended the Republic Day function at the Indian consulate in New York. In Washington, D.C., Indian Ambassador to the US Ronen Sen unfurled the national flag.
Padma Desai, economics professor at Columbia, Srinivasa S.R. Varadhan, a mathematician with New York University (both named for Padma Bhushan this year), and Nirupam Bajpai, who is with the Earth Institute at Columbia and is to receive a Padma Shri, spoke at the Indian consulate function.
Each of the three New Yorkers was honoured with a bouquet of flowers.
Nine Indian Americans have been nominated for Padma awards this year.
Consul General Neelam Deo read out parts of President Pratibha Patil’s Republic Day message.
Refreshments were served after the evening function attended by nearly 250 people.
In Washington, the Jan 26 morning function started with Ambassador Sen unfurling the national flag at the Chancery of the Indian embassy. It was followed by singing of the national anthem and patriotic songs, and reading of the president’s message.
Many Indian community organisations across the US celebrate the Republic Day, but often before or after Jan 26.