New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu will bestow the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA) during the valedictory session of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. The convention, scheduled from January 8 to 10, 2025, will be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The PBSA is the highest honor conferred on Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), or organizations run by them. It recognizes their outstanding achievements in India or abroad, underscoring their contributions to various fields and their role in strengthening India’s global presence.
The awardees for 2025 were selected by a Jury-cum-Awards Committee, chaired by the Vice-President of India, with the External Affairs Minister serving as the Vice-Chair and other distinguished members from diverse fields. The committee carefully reviewed nominations and unanimously selected the recipients.
This year’s awardees represent excellence in fields such as community service, politics, business, education, medicine, and science. The list includes individuals and institutions from around the globe, highlighting the diversity and impact of the Indian diaspora.
List of Awardees for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2025:
- Ajay Rane (Australia) – Community Service
- Marialena Joan Fernandes (Austria) – Education
- Philomena Ann Mohini Harris (Barbados) – Medical Science
- Swami Sanyuktanand (Fiji) – Community Service
- Saraswati Vidya Niketan (Guyana) – Community Service
- Lekh Raj Juneja (Japan) – Science and Technology
- Prem Kumar (Kyrgyz Republic) – Medical Science
- Soukthavy Chowdhury (Laos) – Business
- Krishna Savjani (Malawi) – Business
- ‘Tan Sri’ Subramaniam K.V. Sathasivam (Malaysia) – Politics
- Sarita Boodhoo (Mauritius) – Community Service
- Abhaya Kumar (Moldova) – Business
- Ram Niwas (Myanmar) – Education
- Jaggannath Shekhar Asthana (Romania) – Business
- Hindustani Samaj (Russia) – Community Service
- Sudha Rani Gupta (Russia) – Education
- Syed Anwar Khursheed (Saudi Arabia) – Medical Science
- Atul Arvind Temurnikar (Singapore) – Education
- Robert Masih Nahar (Spain) – Community Service
- Kaushik Laxmidas Ramaiya (Tanzania) – Medicine
- Christine Carla Kangaloo (Trinidad and Tobago) – Public Affairs
- Ramakrishnan Sivaswamy Iyer (UAE) – Business
- Bonthala Subbaiah Setty Ramesh Babu (Uganda) – Community Service
- Usha Kumari Prashar (UK) – Politics
- Sharad Lakhanpal (USA) – Medicine
- Sharmila Ford (USA) – Community Service
- Ravi Kumar S (USA) – Business, IT, and Consulting
The MEA emphasized that the 2025 awardees exemplify dedication and excellence, showcasing India’s global influence and the contributions of its people worldwide.