Lord Bilimoria is recipient of national award (From Asian Image)

Lord Bilimoria is recipient of national award

12:47pm Thursday 17th January 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer has been announced as one of this year's winners of India's renowned Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award.

President Pratibha Patil presented the awards to the selected thirteen recipients on the closing night of the Annual Pravasi Bhartiya Divas conference which was held in New Delhi from 7-9th January.

Past winners include the Right Honourable Sir Anerood Jugnauth (former Prime Minister of Mauritius), Bharrat Jagdeo (former President of Guyana), Lord Meghnad Desai (leading Economist and Labour politician) and Vikram Seth (the author).

Bilimoria is one of the youngest peers in the House of Lords and was appointed by the Appointments Commission, a non-statutory advisory body set up by UK's former Prime Minister, Tony Blair to make recommendations for non-party political peerages.

He is also the first ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords.

"I am honoured and delighted to receive this award. The list of past winners speaks for itself; they are the best of the best, and proof of something I have been saying for a long time that the Indian diaspora is an amazing success story, with Indians reaching the top in virtually every field around the world.

"I feel deeply privileged and humbled to be considered in such company" comments Karan Bilimoria on receiving the prestigious recognition."

The Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award, now in its 6th year, is given to notable overseas Indians who have made a significant impact in their respective fields and recognises their international achievement and contributions towards strengthening India's foreign relations.

In Lord Bilimoria's company for the award are Indian American astronaut Sunita Williams, and Prime Minister of Mauritius, Navinchandra Rangoolam.

• Print
• Email
• Share