Parveen Chopra
HICKSVILLE, NY: The Indian Panorama is celebrating its 18th year of publication with a Gratitude Gala on February 25 in a grand way.
Prof Indrajit Singh Saluja, Founding Editor and Publisher of the weekly newspaper, says, “I want to say my heartfelt thanks to our readers, friends, supporters, and advertisers for the love and support they have blessed us with all these years.”
His friends, supporters, and who’s who of the community are set to grace the gala at the glittering Pearl Banquet Hall in Hicksville, not only to felicitate The Indian Panorama, but also to wish him a long life on his 80th birthday.
Invited dignitaries
Presiding the event will be Ruchira Kamboj, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the first woman diplomat to hold that position. The new Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, will be offered a welcome toast by the community at the event.
Newly-elected Congressman Tom Suozzi, whom the Indian Panorama endorsed on the first day of his campaign, will be there to thank Long Island’s Indian community, with whom he has forged bonds over the years.
Eminent honourees
The four eminent people to be honoured at the gala are: Dr VK Raju – Life Achievement award. The President and Founder of the Eye Foundation of America, he has a mission to eliminate childhood blindness from the world. He has helped start two eye hospitals in India and held free eye camps in 30 developing countries.
Ranju Batra – Excellence in Promotion of Diplomacy Award. She is the Chairperson of Diwali Foundation USA which holds the Diwali Stamp – Power of One awards event at the UN every year to honor diplomats. She also led the campaign to get USPS to release the Diwali stamp.
Harry Singh Bolla – Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award. He is the Founder and CEO of Bolla Oil Corporation, which runs a chain of gas stations and convenience stores in the New York area. Through his Bolla Charity Foundation, he gives back to the community here and extends help to the needy in India.
Purnima Desai – Excellence in Culture Award. As Founder and President of Shikshayatan Cultural Center and Sriniketan Foundation, she has been instrumental in encouraging and supporting Indian culture through music and arts training and events.
Blitz India US edition
The event will also get an international sheen. The US edition of Blitz India will be jointly launched by its Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Deepak Dwivedi, CEO Sandeepp Saxena, and Prof Saluja. Blitz India, the country’s first chronicler of development news, has several editions in India and was launched in the UK last year.
At the event, Prof Saluja will also introduce ALotusInTheMud.com, founded by his friend, Parveen Chopra. Formally launched at the Indian Consulate last January, Lotus is a web magazine presenting free content for all on wellness and spirituality and is the first such publication by an Indian American.
