To be held on Jan. 5-6.
Six Indian-origin individuals will be honored at the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) convention on January 5-6 in Bengaluru, to coincide with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas hosted by the Indian government.
This year’s GOPIO awardees are: Abraham M. George, Chandu Patel, Dr. George Cherian, Vinod Patel, Ram Buxani, and Naliandra (Jay) Naidu, according to a press release.
George is engaged in several social projects including Shanti Bhavan Residential School for children from socially and economically disadvantaged families; Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media; Baldev Medical & Community Center to address the healthcare needs of over 15 villages in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Chandu Patel has set up the Sabarkantha Health and Research Foundation (SHRF), and started Krishna General Hospital in Himatnagar, and plans to upgrade it to a medical college. The SHRF has also set up Geeta Girls Hostel for 300 college students and C. K. Patel Mahila Arts College.
Chandu has contributed to projects for abandoned children, senior citizens and other marginalized sections of society. His donations helped the victims of the Gujarat earthquake (2001), the Odisha super cyclone (1999), among others.
After a 25 year career in neonatology that spanned three continents, Cherian leads the American Mission Hospital in Bahrain, for the last seven years.
Vinod Patel has served the town and district of Ba in Fiji as a counselor and mayor and as an elected Member of Parliament of Fiji on two occasions. His contributions have been in the field of education, sports, religion, community health, local government, and national government and in community and philanthropy.
Buxani, a three-time Forbes awardee, is chairman of the ITL-Cosmos Group, a diversified global business entity.
Naidu is currently employed as group head (home care) for Amka, a major toiletry and household company in South Africa.