Two IndianAmericans Honored With Prestigious Award

New York City has long been an iconic destination for immigrants crossing over to our shores to begin a new life. The Statue of Liberty towering over the New York Harbor, with its inscription inviting “huddled masses yearning to breathe free” has welcomed millions of immigrants who arrived to our nation by ship since the 19th century, and today she stands guard over a city that remains one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in the world. So, it seems fitting that a long-standing New York City philanthropic institution, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, has honored a distinguished group of naturalized U.S. citizens every Fourth of July since 2006. And this year, two IndianAmericas are among the 38 immigrants from 30 countries who were bestowed with the corporation’s Great Immigrant award.

Established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie, an immigrant from Scotland who would go on to become one of America’s most famous early industrialists, the Carnegie Corporation of New York was founded to promote international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy. The two IndianAmerican who are among the recipients of this year’s award, Adobe chief Shantanu Narayen and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, undoubtedly embody the pursuit of those ideals. Mr. Murthy became the first ever IndianAmerican to occupy the surgeon general post when he was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014. (He was dismissed by the Trump Administration in April.) Mr. Narayen was among an elite group of tech industry insiders who recently met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington D.C. for a roundtable with President Trump. [See 2 IndianAmericans to be Honored with Great Immigrants Award, by Press Trust of India, NDTV, 01.Jul.17.]

This year’s honorees were recognized with a full-page statement in the New York Times, as well as an online public awareness initiative. In a recent statement to NDTV, Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, reflected on how the award symbolizes the hard work and sacrifice of all immigrants who have come to America with dreams of building a new life. “Our annual tribute to ‘Great Immigrants’ demonstrates the richness of talent, skills, and achievements that immigrants from around the world bring to every sphere of American society. This campaign reminds us of the debt the United States owes to generations of immigrants who became citizens and contribute to the progress of this county. Today, we celebrate and thank them.”

 

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