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Kerala Center honors community members at awards gala
In the last 31 years, the Center has honored over 200 individuals of Keralite descent who excelled in their profession and/or made great contribution to the larger society.
Kerala Center Awardees 2023 – Ajay Ghosh, Dr. Shelby Kutty, Sajeeb Koya, Dr. Shyam Kottilil, Dr. Anna George, Gopala Pillai, Lata Menon, and Jayant Kamicheril / Images - Kerala Center
Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center, Inc. (The Kerala Center) recently celebrated its 31st Annual Awards Dinner at the Center’s auditorium in Elmont, NY, during which they honored eight individuals who made notable contributions in their professions and to society with their selfless dedication.
The program commenced with the American and Indian National anthems sung by Riya Roy and Bincy Cherian. Kerala Center president Alex K. Esthappan welcomed the gathering and special guests New York Senator Kevin Thomas and Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages. The guests felicitated the honorees and presented the awards.
Dr. Shyam Kottilil of Baltimore, Maryland received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions in the field of virology and scientific research. In his keynote address, he discussed both the achievements and the shortcomings of the response to the COVID epidemic, as well as strategies for preventing future epidemics.
Sajeeb Koya from Pickering, Ontario, Canada was recognised for entrepreneurship. His firm 3S International, Inc., is behind the LED Façade lighting that lights up Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
Awardees with Dignitaries and Kerala Center Officials
The current president of the Indian Nurses Association of New York (INANY), Dr. Anna George from Long Island, got the award for nursing. Dr. Shelby Kutty a physician-scientist and academic leader, serving as the Helen B. Taussig endowed professor and director of pediatric and congenital cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was recgnised in the field of medicine.
Ajay Ghosh from Trumbull, Connecticut received the Media and Journalism award. He is chief editor and co-publisher of The Universal News Network and also serves as media coordinator for the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and ITServe Alliance.
Lata Menon from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada was recognised for her expertise in Legal Services, Sahitya Academy award winner Jayant Kamicheril from Reading, Pennsylvania got the Pravasi Malayalam Literature Award; while Gopala Pillai from Dallas, Texas was honored for her commitment towards community service.
Senator Thomas, who has received an award before, spoke to the crowd and commended the Kerala Center for recognizing those who have worked tirelessly to improve society. Representative Solages said that he was inspired to study harder by his interactions with Indian and Malayalee peers at George Town University. He also stated that there is nothing wrong with loving both our home country and the United States.
During the awards ceremony, P.T. Paulose and Jose Kadapuram, who served on the souvenir committee, presented U. A. Naseer with a copy of the souvenir they had created. Dr. Madhu Bhaskaran, the chairman of the Award Committee and Board of Directors, in his speech explained the process of selecting the awardees.
Noopura School of Dance students performing classical dances at the event
Bincy Cherian, Tahseen Mohammed, Sibi David, Toni and Heera performed songs, and Noopura School of Dance performed Indian classical dances, for the audience at the awards night. Secretary Raju Thomas concluded the ceremony with a vote of thanks to honored guests, awardees, sponsors, and audience.
Since its establishment in 1993, the Kerala Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Keralites and the Indian American community in the tri-state New York area. In the last 31 years, the Center has honored over 200 individuals of Keralite descent who excelled in their profession and/or made great contribution to the larger society.
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