Mago helped foster greater Indo-US relations.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian American businessman from Texas was honored by the US-India Chamber of Commerce for his work fortifying business and economic relationships between the two nations.
Ashok K. Mago was awarded at a meeting of the US-India Chamber of Commerce in Dallas over the weekend, reports the Press Trust of India. Mago is a Founding Chairman of the US-India Chamber of Commerce, and is the CEO and Chairman of Mago & Associates, a business and investment consulting firm based in Dallas.
Present at the ceremony were several high-ranking US government officials, including Senator John Cornyn and Congressman Pete Sessions, both Republicans and both of whom represent the Lone Star State. Each man lauded Mago for his contributions to ensuring that ties between the US and India remain strong, despite their recent rocky history. Cornyn is also the co-founder of the Senate’s India Caucus.
Cornyn, in particular, said that Mago is the main reason that he ever visited India in the first place, and praised Mago for having “nourished and encouraged” American politicians to take a more active interest in India’s growing economic potential. Sessions seconded that notion, saying that India is almost the only thing Mago ever talks about.
Mago was also praised by Indian Ambassador to the US S. Jaishankar, who sent a video message in which he called Mago a quintessential success story for Indians who come to the US with the dream of becoming successful and giving back to both their home and adoptive nations.
Mago holds an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas, and is a member of several community organizations in north Texas. He was a member of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, Chairman of the Greater Dallas Community Relations Commission, Director of the Dallas/Fort-Worth International Airport Board, and Chairman of the Board of the Urban League of Greater Dallas & North Central Texas, among several other things.
Earlier this year, Mago was awarded the Padma Shri Award by the Government of India; it is the fourth-highest civilian award given out in India.