Called the CIF Chanchlani Global Indian Award, it carries $50,000 in cash and
a trophy.
The award will be conferred on Pitroda by former Indian president A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam at a gala dinner here April 18.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier David McGuinty are
likely to be among about 400 attendees at the event.
CIF co-founder and local Indo-Canadian businessman Vasudev Chanchlani has
sponsored the award and pledged $1 million to create a fund for it.
It will presented annually to 'an outstanding Indian who has demonstrated
global leadership, vision and personal excellence, which has made all of us of
Indian origin extremely proud of our heritage'.
Addressing a press conference here Wednesday, foundation convener Ajit
Someshwar said: 'The CIF aims to promote interests of Indo-Canadians in
political and public life here. We will support secular, qualified
Indo-Canadians who want to serve in politics, public life, parliament, and other
important Canadian institutions.
'As well, the foundation will lobby for India in Canada, and for Canada in
India. We will advocate a better relationship between India and Canada, and work
to make Canadians more aware about India's potential.'
He said since its inception last year, the foundation has interacted with top
political and business leaders from the two countries, including Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers, Minister for Overseas Indians Affairs
Vayalar Ravi and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Tarun Das to
make them aware of the CIF mission.
Chanchlani, who runs the Sigma Group of companies here, said: 'Our focus will
be to change the minds of top Canadian leaders, ministers and business people
about India. We will invite federal ministers to dinners and events to discuss
issues impacting Canada-India relations.'
The foundation also plans to work for free trade and strategic partnership
agreements between the two countries, opening of Canadian visa offices in Mumbai
and Chennai and restarting Canadian engagement with Gujarat that was
`blacklisted' by Ottawa after the 2002
riots.
Toronto, March 13 (IANS) The Canada-India Foundation (CIF) has decided to
honour Indian Knowledge Commission chairman Sam Pitroda with the first annual
Global Indian Award for pioneering the telecom revolution in India.
ndia Vision : Dynamics of Development