Awardees include Mexico scientist Dr. Rajaram Sanjaya.
By The American Bazaar Staff
WASHINGTON, DC: Three Indian Americans – Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, Dr. Kamlesh Lulla, Chief Scientist for Earth observation in the Human Exploration Science Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Dr. Nandini Tandon, a veteran Silicon Valley based investor in life sciences and health care – are among the 15 Non Resident Indians (NRIs) awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards for 2015.
“The President is pleased to award ‘Pravasi Bhartiya Samman’ to Mala Mehta, President of Guyana Donald Rabindernauth Ramaotar, Dr Rajaram Sanjaya, Kanwaljit Singh Bakhshi, Rajmal Parakh, Duraikannu Karunakaran, Essop Goolam Pahad, Shah Bharatkumar Jayantilal, Ashraf Palarkunnummal, Mahendra Nanji Mehta, Professor Nathu Ram Puri, Satyanarayn Nadella, Dr Lulla Kamlesh and Dr Nandini Tandon,” a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said today.
Nadella, who was appointed CEO of Microsoft in February of 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer, was previously Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group, responsible for building and running the company’s Computing Platforms, Developer Tools and Cloud Computing Services.
Tandon, PhD, spent a decade as a venture capitalist and another decade helping build companies in the biotechnology, diagnostics, medical devices, pharmaceutical and semi-conductor industries across various stages of development, from research to commercialization.
Tandon has served on the boards of more than a dozen private new technology companies in biotechnology and medical technology and is currently on the board of U-Systems. She received her doctorate degree in biochemistry with Phi Lambda Upsilon from Duke University and her bachelor’s degree in chemistry cum laude with Phi Beta Kappa from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.
Lulla was named for the award for his exceptional service to the space science.
Dr. Rajaram Sanjaya, an India-born Mexico scientist, who is among the awardees, is winner of the ‘2014 World Food Prize’ for developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries.
Lord Raj Lumba, a philanthropist and founder of the clothing firm, Rinku Group, is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords.
The Australia-based Mala Mehta is getting the award for her contribution to Hindi language. She established an ‘Indo-Australian Bal Bharatiya Vidyalaya’ in Thornleigh, a suburb of Sydney.