Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the best Indian of them all? I wondered this very thought last week when I attended a press-conference in New York City in preparation for The Light of India Awards vote selection announcement coming soon to the Waldorf Astoria. In short, overseas Indians are voting on their favorite representatives in six categories from the arts to commerce. For me, a non-Indian, I wondered how many of them I even knew?
Did you know that the president and CEO of MasterCard, Ajay Banga, is an Indian-American?
The Light of India Awards, an initiative of Remit2India, is a simple concept for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs): You loved their ideas, followed their journey, respected their vision – now help honor them by choosing among them the best. Remit2India is a Western Union-like company that owned by the Times Group in India that allows over a million NRI’s in 23 countries around the world to send money home.
And the categories are: Business, Corporate, Politics, Arts & Entertainment, Science & Technology, and Journalism & Literature.
Sapnna Vats and Gudeep Suri of the Times Group of India explained the Light of India
Awards at the NYC press conference. Photo Credit: Vijay Shah, Freelance U.S. Media.
At the press conference I spoke to Gurdeep Suri, U.S. Country Manager for TimesofMoney Group, who told me:
India has always been shining especially on the strength of the 'light' that the NRIs have spread far & wide. These Awards are a platform to recognize excellence of the Global Indian community across different fields. It emphasizes the critical role that this community has played both in terms of its contribution to India & the world.
Like American Idol, the Light of India Awards has a jury. The polling is being validated by the mega firm KPMG. The Times Group of India believes this event will become an annual platform to constantly honor this elite community. Non-Resident Indians are encouraged to vote here.
I carefully reviewed the nominees are realized I know so little about one of the world’s biggest powers. I challenge my readers to go head-to-head with me on Indian culture!
Business. Non-resident Indian nominees for the Light of India Awards in Business are Promod Sharma, Naveen Jain, Mukesh Majmudar, and Vinod Khosla.
Naveen Jain is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and technology pioneer.
He serves as co-chair of Education & Global Development of the X Prize
Foundation focused on finding entrepreneurial solutions to global challenges
in education, poverty, agriculture, health, and clean water.
Corporate. Ajay Banga is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of MasterCard. The other contenders include Arun Sarin (Vodafone), Dinesh Keskar (Boeing), Francisco D'souza (Cognizan), and Vikram Pandit (Citigroup).
Dr. Vikram Pandit moved to the U.S. at 16 and is now CEO of Citigroup.
Politics. Political leader being honored includes Canadian Ruby Dhalla, Iowa State Senator Swati Dandekar, Ameya Pawar – and, of course, Bobby Jindal.
Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana was born in Baton Rouge and attended
Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, having turned down both Harvard and Yale.
Science & Technology. Nominees include the father of the Pentium chip, Vinod Dham, as well as Narasimha Chari, Shiladitya Sengupta, and Vivek Kundra, the first Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the United States who was appointed by President Obama.
Arts & Entertainment. Nominees include Anglo-Indian comedian Russell Peters, actor Sunil Nayar, British-Indian comedians Sanjeev Bhaskarand Meera Syal, and the inspiring Mira Nair. I wrote about her the first time I met her here. Mira debuted her first feature film, Salaam Bombay! in 1988. As founder of Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW), I am deeply impressed that Mira has used the proceeds of this film to establish an organization for street children, called the Salaam Baalak Trust in India. Her other films of note include Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love and Mississippi Masala.
Literature & Journalism. Nominees include Canadian writer M.G. Vassanji, Indian-American authors Jhumpa Lahiri and Chitra B. Divakaruni, poet Vikram Seth, and of course, the iconic Salman Rushdie.
Salman Rushdie is author of eleven novels including Satanic Verses
and serves as Honorary Professor in the Humanities at M.I.T.
As the India Times wrote on the importance of the Indian diaspora:
Over the years, the Indian community abroad has contributed significantly not only to their country of residence but also to the Indian economy back home. Worldwide, Indians are recognized as the most valued ethnic community in terms of their intellectual capital. Their efforts in infusing capital, ideas and international practices have also contributed significantly to the Indian economy apart from keeping alive the Indian traditions and culture far and wide. Indians today have done the country proud through their contribution in various fields like art, science, technology and politics the world over.
The Awards will be announced April 22 at a black-tie event here in New York with the Indian Ambassador to the U.S, the Hon. Mrs. Meera Shankar, as the Chief Guest.
Aroon Shivdasani of the Indo-American Arts Council in NYC led the press conference.
Photo Credit: Vijay Shah, Freelance U.S. Media.
Key corporate partners to the event include Sony Entertainment Television, Asia as the Exclusive Television Partner, Etihad Airways as the International Travel Partner, TimesofIndia.com as the online partner, Comcast and Goa Tourism as Associate Sponsors.
I often write on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the U.S. and believe it is vital for multinational companies to give back to society – so often these multi-nationals are bigger than countries themselves. I have written on the good things being done by MetLife, the Cushman Group of MorganStanley SmithBarney, NBC’s Brian Williams, and Goldman Sachs. My hat is tipped to Remit2India and the Times Group of India for their lead in CSR in South Asia.
I look forward to being there and will report in The Huffington Post what transpires as the names of the winning Non-Resident Indian thought leaders and global citizens are announced. I am excited to be able to educate myself further on this dynamic nation and its cultural emissaries. I am sure Dr. Sanjay Gupta will be nominated next year!
Note: Many of the stories of Jim Luce published in The Huffington Post have subsequently run on the pages of indiatimes.com.
See also by Jim Luce:
Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art -- in Atlanta
Indian Spring Festival of Colors, Holi, Celebrated at South Street Seaport
Extremist Threat Explored by D.C. Think Tank at Indian Consulate in NYC
Indian Legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Plays NYC, Thanks Obama
Indo-American Arts Council Feeds the American Mind with Sub-Continental Culture
Indo-American Arts Council Fete Recreates Mughal Court in Manhattan
Meet the Amazing Aroon Shivdasani of NYC's Indo-American Arts Council
My Favorite Coffee Table Book: India Unveiled