The award is in recognition of his “dedicated leadership and effective advocacy.”
AB Wire
WASHINGTON, DC: The National Council of Asian Indian Associations presented its “Outstanding Community Service Award” to prominent Indian American Benoy Thomas. The award was presented by Katherine Van Hollen, wife of U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, who is running for U.S. Senate from Maryland, at a Republic Day event hosted by the organization in Greenbelt, MD, on January 30.
The award was in recognition for Thomas’ “dedicated leadership and effective advocacy for promoting the interest of Indian American community,” according to the organization.
NCAIA Chairman Har Swaroop Singh, who introduced Thomas — who served as a president of the organization from 2010 to 2012 — praised his long and distinguished service to the community. Singh, a former Indian diplomat and former lieutenant governor of Pondicherry, pointed out the leadership role Thomas played in bringing the community together and his work on issues related to the Indian American community.
“I am truly humbled and honored by this recognition, coming from an organization I had the privilege of leading,” said Thomas, a U.S. Department of Justice official. “NCAIA is one of the most effective Indian American groups in this country. In the national capital region, it brings together close to 40 Indian American associations under its umbrella, and I am proud to be associated with it.”
Washington area television producer and anchor Nilima Mehra was also honored at the event.
An immigrant from Kerala, India, Thomas serves on two Maryland state commissions: the Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities Commission and the Children’s Environmental Protection Advisory Council. He was nominated to these panels by former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who withdrew from the presidential race earlier this week.
Thomas served as a member of the Working Committee of the Governor’s Council for New Americans for a year. He also served on the East Montgomery County Citizen’s Advisory Board for six years.
From 2012 to 2012, Thomas was the national general secretary of the Federation of Malayalee Associations of North America, an umbrella organization of more than 50 Malayalee organizations in the United States and Canada.
Thomas has worked both in government and private sector. He worked for the Government of the District of Columbia for 20 years. Prior to joining the Justice Department in 2014, he served as the Mid-Atlantic regional director of KidsPeace, a leading national nonprofit, for two years.
Prominent Indian American entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Islam delivered keynote address at the NCAIA Republic Day celebration, which was attended by, among others, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Community Affairs Minister at the Embassy of India N.K. Mishra, Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker and Carrie Trybulec, Director of the Gandhi Memorial Center in Washington, DC.