KERALA / SAUDI ARABIA / UAE (Arabian Gulf) :
Three Gulf expats among 13 NRI winners of the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’ award
Three Indian expatriates in the Gulf, including an Abu Dhabi-based doctor, have been conferred with an award for Indians living abroad by the government in New Delhi.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee has conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award to 13 non-resident Indians, PIOs and organisations for their contributions to the country of their residence as well as to India in different spheres of activity.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil Parambath, founder and managing director of Life Line Healthcare Group of Abu Dhabi, won the annual award for his role in developing a major healthcare business in the UAE and in promoting UAE-India ties.
Dr Shamsheer’s healthcare business now covers India, Oman and the UAE and the group has undertaken humanitarian projects like giving free heart surgery to poor children and offering jobs to relatives of the Mangalore air crash victims. He is the youngest entrepreneur to receive this award.
A postgraduate in radiology, Dr Shamsheer was trained in Boston before joining Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi. Starting with a small hospital in 2007 in Abu Dhabi, he now has nine hospitals.
Shihabudeen Vava Kunju, an Indian social worker from Saudi Arabia, is another recipient of the award from the Gulf this year. He won the award for social service and in fostering good relations between India and Saudi Arabia.
The third Gulf winner of the award this year is Shihabudeen Kottukad of Saudi Arabia. He won the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his social service for Indian expatriates in the kingdom.
Ms Lisa Maria Singh (Australia), Kurian Varghese (Bahrain), Vasdev Chanchlani (Canada), Satnarainsing Rabin Baldewsingh (Netherlands), Bikas Chandra Sanyal (France), Sasindran Muthuvel (Papua New Guinea), Ms. Ela Gandhi (South Africa), Shailesh Lakhman Vara (Britain), Dr. Parthasarathy Chiramel Pillai and Ms. Renu Khator (USA) are the other prominent NRIs who have been given the award this year. Ramakrishna Mission (Fiji) is also in the winners list for its humanitarian and community services on the Pacific Ocean island.
source: http://www.emirates247.com / Emirates 24X7 News / Home> News> Emirates / by Staff Reporter / Tuesday – January 14th, 2014