Three Indian-Americans have been chosen by the United States-based National Ethnic Coalition of Organisations for its prestigious Ellis Medal to acknowledge their exceptional leadership, lifelong humanitarian services and outstanding contribution in the cultural field.
Subash Razdan of Atlanta, Nimal Singh and Raj Soin of Ohio will receive the award on May 17 at a special ceremony at Ellis Island off Manhattan, New York.
Subash Razdan is a well-known community activist and acting chairman of the Gandhi Foundation of USA. A graduate from IIT, New Delhi, Razdan is a civil-environmental principal engineer for Atlanta. He served as the president of the India American Cultural Association and president and vice president of the National Federation of Indian Associations.
His efforts and leadership resulted in the installation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the Martin Luther King National Historic Site, Atlanta.
In 1997, Razdan was one of the key coordinators of the 50th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations in Washington D C by India and Indian Americans, which had former first lady Hillary Clinton as its chief guest.
In 1996, Razdan was appointed an attaché for the Government of India for the Olympics held in Atlanta that year and also served as the acting chef-de-mission for the Indian contingent.
Nirmal Sinha is a founding member of Global Organisation of the People of Indian Origin. He has been a community activist extensively involved locally and nationally for over 15 years.
Sinha was appointed to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission by the governor of Ohio in 1991. He was a White House delegate during former president Clinton's visit to India and received many awards and recognitions.
In 1998 the governor presented him the Dr Martin Luther King, Jr award for his services to the Ohio community.
Rajesh K Soin is the chairman of MTC Technologies [a NASDAQ listed company] and also a chairman and chief executive office of five privately held companies in the USA and India.
Raj is the founding trustee and former president of Asian Indian business of Dayton, Ohio, as well as the Ohio India Foundation.
The business college at Wright State University has been renamed to 'Raj Soin College of Business' in honour of his accomplishments and support to the university.
Previous awardees include eminent personalities such as former US President Jimmy Carter, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, former secretary of state Henry Kissinger, former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani and Frank Sinatra among others.
