By IANS
New York : Thomas Abraham, chairman of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (Gopio), will be given the third Bharatvanshi Gaurav Award for his service to the NRI community.
Former Indian vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will present the award, carrying a cash prize of Rs.100,000, on Jan 4 in New Delhi.
The award was instituted by the Antar Rashtriya Sahayog Nyas (Trust for International Cooperation) to honour a person of Indian origin (PIO) or NRI each year for outstanding contribution towards fostering a better understanding abroad of India or for furthering India’s causes, concerns and interests internationally or for serving the Indian diaspora.
Abraham has been working with the Indian American community for 33 years. He served as the first president (1976-81) of the Federation of Indian Associations of New York, which organises the largest Republic Day parade outside India.
In 1980, he founded the National Federation of Indian American Associations and Gopio in 1989.
Abraham is a materials scientist and nanotechnologist. He is president of the Innovative Research and Products Inc, an industry and market research firm based in Stamford, Connecticut.
The first Bharatvanshi Gaurav award was given to Ranjith Ramnarain of South Africa in 2005 and the second went to Satnarayan Maharaj of Trinidad and Tobago.