This Republic Day 2020, the government of India honoured 141 achievers including four Indian Americans with Padma awards for their distinguished service and contribution in their respective fields. All the recipients of Padma awards 2020 were felicitated by President Ram Nath Kovind on the 71^st Republic Day in New Delhi, India. The third richest Indian-origin billionaire Romesh T. Wadhwani, marketing guru Jagdish Sheth, California University’s economics professor Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik, and S.P. Kothari, former deputy dean at MIT Sloan School of Management are the four Indian American Padma awardees in 2020.

Romesh T. Wadhwani, Jagdish Sheth, SP Kothari (from left to right)

Billionaire-cum-Philanthropist Romesh T. Wadhwani

One of the richest billionaires in USA  and the wealthiest Indian Americans on Forbes’ 2019 list, Romesh T. Wadhwani is awarded the Padma Shri on the eve of the 71^st Republic Day. The third richest Indian-origin billionaire in USA with net worth USD 3.3 billion, Romesh Wadhwani is the founder of CEO of Symphony Technology Group. A resident of California, he is not just an astute entrepreneur but a compassionate philanthropist too. His journey from the day his family relocated to India from Karachi during the Partition to the day he became the richest Gujarati businessman in USA, is full of inspiring tales. An IIT Bombay graduate with a PhD in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, he set up the Wadhwani Foundation with focus on socio-economic development in India. In 2012, he launched a world-class research facility at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru and named it after his mother, Shanta Wadhwani.

Marketing Guru Jagdish Sheth   

Among the overseas Indians honoured with Padma awards is Indian American Jagdish Sheth from Atlanta, Georgia. Popularly known as marketing guru, Jagdish Sheth received Padma Bhushan for his contribution in literature and education. ‘Theory of Buyer Behaviour’, co-authored by him, is considered as a ‘bible’ of consumer psychology and marketing. It was Jagdish Seth who presented the Philip Kotler Presidential Award to Narendra Modi in January 2019. A Professor of Business at Emory University Goizueta Business School, he came to the USA for MBA studies at the University of Pittsburgh in 1962. He is a widely published author with more than 200 articles to his name in leading marketing journals across the world.

California University’s Professor Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik

One of the Indian American Padma Shri awardees, Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik received the prestigious honour in literature and education. A professor of Economics at the University of California, Pattanaik hails from Odisha. A graduate of Odisha’s Utkal University with a PhD from Delhi School of Economics, he has several feathers in his cap. Apart from being a fellow of the Human Development and Capability Association, Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik works as a research associate for the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. He shares the distinction of being an advisory editor for the journal, Social Choice and Welfare, with Nobel Laureate and economist Amartya Sen.

MTI’s Former Deputy Dean S.P. Kothari   

S.P. Kothari from Boston is one of the Indian American Padma Shri recipients in 2020. Kothari is the Gordon Y. Billard Professor of Management. He was the deputy dean at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. An eminent alumnus of IIM-Ahmedabad with a PhD from the University of Iowa, S.P. Kothari served as the chief economist and director of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis in the United States. He was once the global head of Equity Research, Barclays Global Investor. The American Accounting Association honoured him with the Accounting Literature Award 2014. Indian American S.P. Kothari is one of the experts on India’s economic policies.

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The Indian coastal state of Odisha is in international spotlight today. All thanks to 12-year-old Padmalaya Nanda, the “Little Miss Universe 2017” title winner! Padmalaya Nanda came back her home in Odisha with three laurels for India from the Little Miss Universe 2017 beauty Pageant held in Georgia, USA. She won the Golden Crown Little Miss Universe Internet 2017, Little Miss Universe Grand Prix and Little Miss Actress (popularly known Best Talent of the world).

A class 8 student of the Stewart School in Cuttack, Padmalaya Nanda beat out 15 other contestants from across the world to win the crown of Little Miss Universe 2017. This is not what she wants to stop at. She is looking at a bigger picture for her future and her state. She has also been nominated to represent India in the Little Miss World 2017 beauty contest.

Winning the crown of Little Miss Universe 2017 is not a mere achievement for Padmalaya Nanda from Odisha but a golden opportunity to do something for her state at international levels. Being a winner and an achiever, she feels responsible towards protecting the cultural heritage and promoting the tourism potential of Odisha. She is looking forward to working for the welfare of underprivileged children in her state.

While talking about her empathy for the helpless and her zeal to do something for the needy, the Little Miss Universe 2017 winner said, “I always celebrate my birthday in an orphanage, Swami Bichitrananda Kalyan Ashram. I also celebrate holidays – Diwali, Dusshera, New Year, and Odia New Year – with them.”

Padmalaya Nanda bagged the title “Little Miss Actress” for her Sambalpuri dance performance in the talent round of the Little Miss Universe 2017 contest. Sambalpuri is a most popular folk dance in Odisha. Recently, a dance troupe from Odisha performed Sambalpuri at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, commemorating the state’s dance week.

Padmalaya Nanda is not only the first Indian but also the world’s youngest girl to have won three prestigious titles at the Little Miss Universe 2017 pageant in USA. Participating in the Little Miss World and the Junior Model International contests is her next target. The Little Miss World 2017 pageant will be held in Greece in September.

Also Check This Handicraft Village is a Must Visit in Odisha

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