Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to NRIs
by Narendra

    Hyderabad: Seventeen eminent NRIs, including Hong Kong-based Rusy M Shroff and US-based doctor Sudhir Parikh, have been honoured with the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for their contribution in promoting India in their respective adopted countries. President APJ Abdul Kalam presented the award to the NRIs during valedictory function of Parvasi Bhartiya Divas 2006. Shroff, Managing Director of Ruttonjee Estates Continuation Limited, and appointed member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1995, was bestowed with the award for his contribution towards promoting India's image abroad.

   Other prominent NRIs who got the award include, Jean-paul Virapoulle, a French senator and Mayor of Saint Andre Reunion island, for his efforts to promote relations between India and Reunion island in the fields of culture and economy. Fareed Zakaria, Editor of Newsweek International in 2000, got the honour for his outstanding contribution in the field of journalism, Sisupal Rambharos (culture and heritage), Ysu Persaud (business), C K Menon (enhancing India's image abroad), Abdool Raouf Bundhun (secularism and social values), Gulam Kader Bhai Noon (Indian values), Eliahu Bezale (agriculture), Niranjan S Shah (Indo-US relations), Majid Uddin Kazi (charity), Shivnath Rai Bjaj (Indo-Thai relations), Dr Sudhir Parikh (medicine), Pratima Kale (social service), Dr V Ramdoss, official sources said.

Nitish upbeat about NRI investments in Bihar

    Patna: On his return from 4th Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelen, which concluded yesterday in Hyderabad, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday that investor's perception of Bihar has changed a lot. Talking to reporters in Patna after returning from Hyderabad, Kumar said: "Earlier there was cynicism attached with the name of Bihar that nothing could happen here, it is not there any more. It is quite opposite now. People think that every thing is possible in Bihar. I am also thankful to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he said in Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelen that NRI's should invest in Bihar as well". Responding to queries about the recent kidnappings in the State, The Chief Minister said that he had provided police enough liberty so that they could give quick result. "I have given full liberty to the police force in this matter. It's up to them now to show the result in the kidnapping case. I don't want to say anything in this matter," Kumar added. Kumar was heavily criticised by the Congress when he went to woo investors in Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelen in Hyderabad. Congress said that he should instead concentrate on improving the law and order situation in the State. Nitish Kumar had yesterday said at the NRI meet that his government was planning a slew of measures to invite investments from NRIs.

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