Indian-Americans' role worthy of emulation

The role of Indian-American community in fostering excellent ties between the two nations and their stellar role in enhancing the image of India in their adopted land is worthy of emulation, said Dr A Surya Prakash, Chairman of Prasar Bharathi, India's public broadcasting service here on Saturday.

He was addressing the gathering after presenting the Rotary International's Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism instituted by the Rotary Club of Madras North to Prakash M Swamy, an eminent Indian-American journalist and UN Correspondent and Emerging Journalist Award to 21-year-old J. Vedhavalli, news anchor of Puthiya Thalaimurai TV Channel at a gala function held in Savera Hotel in Mylapore, Chennai on Saturday.

He said Swamy served the community both in India and in the US with his writings and worked hard as a core committee member of Madison Square Garden Committee that welcomed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to New York in 2014.

Doordarshan may lack the glitz of some of the private channels in India but it's playing a very critical role of dissemination of vital information to the common man to help shape a stronger India, he said.

He said Doordarshan and All India Radio ensured the success of the campaign to rid India of Polio. 'We can proudly say its Polio-mukt Bharat now,' he said. 'We took the message to the last man and woman in the country ensuring that infants get their timely Polio drops and it worked.'

Over the last two years, the central government has launched several innovative schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Jan-dhan yojana to benefit the people and national initiatives like Swach Bharat that have a great bearing on national health and well-being. Modi is now drawing attention to the people that over seventy percent of Indian households do not have toilets that too nearly 70 years after independence, he said.

Institutions like Rotary International which are committed to social change must join hands with the union government and work for the success of such campaigns.

Rotarian Past District Governor A. Subramaniam; Rotarian District Director for Vocational Service L. Neelakantan; Past District Governor Raja Ramakrishnan; President of Rotary Club of Madras North Ravi Sundaram felicitated the award recipients. Chella K. Srinivasan, Chairman of Awards Committee welcomed the gathering and Club Secretary Suresh Chhabriya proposed a vote of thanks.

Photo caption: Dr Surya Prakash presenting the Rotary Lifetime Achievement Award to Prakash M Swamy while Vedhavalli, A Subramaniam, L. Neelakantan, Raja Ramakrishnan Ravi Sundaram, Chella K. Srinivasan and Suresh Chhabriya applaud the awardees.