The Global Indians continues to shine
Book presented to Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu
The second edition of the Global Indians Book is a humble attempt to honour the contribution of extraordinary Indians in transforming lives globally. The 2017 edition features 21 personalities from diverse fields including political stalwarts, scientists, industry captains, social reformers, sports icons, film personalities and distinguished visionaries. It was not easy to select this elite list. After much deliberation, we settled upon 21 global Indians, who we believe best represent the values and ethos we associate with them and who are most prominent in their chosen fields. Each of them is an epitome of the Indian success story, and their profound influence, both within the profession and outside it, is unquestionable. The fact that book features only 21 personalities, does not mean that other personalities who have not been featured in this edition or the earlier edition are in anyway less in stature or fame. Global Indians Book will be an ongoing activity that will strive to celebrate the Indian achievers who on the global front continue to set extraordinary examples. Even as you read this, some Indian in some part of the world is achieving a remarkable feat. It shall be our conscious and continuous endeavour to highlight these icons. However, in doing so, we would like to emphasise that it is the exceptional work of extraordinary Indians which makes the Global Indians possible.
Left to Right : Veena Kumaravel, C K Kumaravel, Balkrishan Goenka, Raghuvir Chand Jain, Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu, Dr Prakash Amte and Mandakini Amte
Global Indians 2017 book published by Times of India group was ceremonially presented to the Vice President of India Venkaih Naidu by Magsaysay awardee Dr Prakash Amte and Dr Mandakini Amte. Naidu appreciated the efforts of the ‘Global Indians’ for making India proud and the team behind the Global Indians book. Naidu said on the occasion: “Information
Umesh Rao presenting the Global Indians book to Suresh Prabhu Minister of Commerce and Industry
with confirmation is a good ammunition.” Union minister for Information and Broadcasting and Sports Raghvendra Rathore, who is featured as one of the Global Indians, presented the book to Dr Prakash Amte. Appreciating the initiative, Rathore said that it is encouraging that there exists a platform like the Global Indians book which has an aspirational value. Dr Amte while receiving the book expressed his gratitude for highlighting the cause of Hemalkasa, a remote tribal village in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra. Dr Amte and his team have been wholeheartedly and successfully running health and education facilities for tribals since 1974.
The Global Indians book was also presented to Suresh Prabhu Minister of Commerce and Industry by Umesh Rao, CEO of Vector Projects. Prabhu said the first generation entrepreneurs, featured in the Global Indians book, are visionaries and lauded their achievements. The second edition of Global Indians features the following personalities, Narendra Modi, Sushma Swaraj, C N R Rao , Raghunath Mashelkar Pankaj Advani, Anand Mahindra,Dilip Sanghvi, Virat Kohli, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore,Asha Bhosle,M S Dhoni
Manoj Tirodkar,Lakshmi Mittal,Prakash Padukone, Deepika Padukone, M S Dhoni, P V Sindhu, Kidambi Shrikant, Dr Prakash Amte,Dr Vikas Amte, Anil Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra.The first edition of the book which had been presented to the President of India Pratibha Patil in 2010 featured APJ Abdul Kalam, Shahrukh Khan, Mukesh Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kakodkar, Vishwanathan Anand, Ratan Tata, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Rahul Bajaj, Adi Godrej, Narayan Murthy, Anil Ambani, Azim Premji, Mira Nair, Zakhir Hussain, ,Kapil Dev,Amitabh Bachchan, A R Rahman, Aamir Khan, Lata Mangeshkar and Aishwarya Rai.
The Global Indians Journey continues…
PROF. CNR RAO
Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, also known as CNR Rao, an Indian chemist, has worked mainly in solid state and structural chemistry. He currently serves as the head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the prime minister of India. On 16 November 2013, the Government of India announced his selection for Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, making him the third scientist after Dr CV Raman and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam to receive the award.
Global Indian Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore MoS Sports & I&B presented the Global Indians Book to Dr Prakash Amte & Mandakini Amte
He was conferred the award on 4 February 2014, by President Pranab Mukherjee in a special ceremony.World’s foremost solid state and materials chemist, Prof. Rao has worked and contributed to the development of the field for over five decades.His work on transition metal oxides has led to basic understanding of novel phenomena and the relationship between materials properties and the structural chemistry of these materials. Prof. Rao was one of the earliest chemists to synthesize two-dimensional oxide materials such as La2CuO4. His work has led to a systematic study of compositionally controlled metalinsulator transitions. These studies have had a profound impact in application fields such as colossal magneto resistance and high temperature superconductivity. He has made immense contributions in the research of nanomaterials besides his work on hybrid materials.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Prof. Rao was the recipient of the CV Raman Award in Physical Science by the University Grants Commission of India in 1975, SN Bose Medal by the Indian National Science Academy in 1980 and Royal Society of Chemistry (London) Medal in 1981. He has received honorary doctorates from several universities. He was bestowed the Einstein Gold Medal of UNESCO in 1996, Centenary Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London, in 2000, Hughes Medal by the Royal Society in 2000, Royal Medal by the Royal Society in 2009, August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann Medal by the German Chemical Society in 2010, and Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize for materials research in 2011.
The Indian government honoured Prof. Rao with Padma Shri in 1974, Padma Vibhushan in 1985 and Bharat Ratna in 2014. Other honours include the Great Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit from the President of Brazil in 2002, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour, France) in 2005, Order of Friendship by the President of Russia in 2009 and the Order of the Rising Sun (Gold and Silver Star) of Japan in 2015.
DR VIKAS AMTE
Baba Amte’s work was colossal and walking in his father’s footsteps meant shouldering a big responsibility. Dr Vikas Amte, a doctor by profession and engineer by nature, focused on the physical and mental health of leprosy patients. He soon realized that merely treating leprosy patients would not suffice as even after successful treatment, it was unlikely that the so-called healthy society would willingly accept these ‘stigmatized’ people. With the intention of rehabilitating those who had fully recovered from leprosy, Dr Amte started several projects to engage them in productive work, to make them independent and settle them in a family life at Anandwan.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Kirloskar Vasundhara Award (Environment-Biogas; 2017) Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar by Gondwana Vidypeeth (2017) Barrister Palkhiwala Human Rights Award 2016, Mumbai Innovative Energy Project of the Year – Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy by The Association of Energy Engineers, USA Lokmanya Tilak National Award (2012) Kumar Gandharva Puraskar (1998) Apang Mitra Puraskar by the Helpers of the Handicaps, Kolhapur (1998) Rajkot’s Manav Sewa Award by Young Men’s Gandhi Association (YMGA; 1997-98) Sarthi Award, Nagpur (1997) Kushta Mitra Puraskar by Vidarbha Maharogi Sewa Mandal, Tapovan, Amravati (1995) Shri Nemichand Shrishrimal Award for Outstanding Role in Social Work (1994) Late Shri Mahadeo Balvant Natu Puraskar, Pune (1991) Right Livelihood Award co-recipient (1991) The Templeton Prize (1990) Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service (1985) Damien-Dutton (1983).
MANOJ TIRODKAR
A first-generation entrepreneur, Manoj started his journey from scratch. His confidence stemmed from his belief that apart from talent and hard work, his passion, commitment and vision would empower him to achieve his goals. He didn’t allow the lack of formal education beyond schooling hold him back. He joined the business arena when he was only 17, with an allconsuming desire to establish a global company. Starting with just four employees in a 300 square feet office and borrowed capital of $10,000, Tirodkar established the Global Group. Its flagship company, GTL Limited, was set up in 1992, for the distribution of fax machines and other telecom subscriber-end terminals. Over the years, the businesses grew and consolidated to become the Global Group, which has revenue of $600 million and an asset base of $3 billion. The Global Group operates across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, through its subsidiaries.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Manoj Tirodkar is the recipient of several awards and recognitions for his contribution to industry and entrepreneurship. He is the first Indian to win the prestigious World Young Business Achiever Award 2000 (WYBA) presented by Worldcom Group. He has also received the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Young Entrepreneur Trophy and Telecom Man of the Year Award in 2001. In 2016-17, Manoj was honoured by The Economic Times as one of the Most Promising Business Leaders of Asia.
DR RAGHUNATH ANANT MASHELKAR
He joined UDCT (now Institute of Chemical Technology), Mumbai, to pursue his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 1966. After his postgraduation, Mashelkar completed his PhD under the guidance of Prof. MM Sharma, in the area of mass transfer in chemical reactions, finishing his thesis in just three years. His outstanding work earned him a fellowship at Salford University, Manchester. Here, his guide encouraged him to work in an unrelated field – rheology. Dr Mashelkar took up the challenge and, over time, made a name for himself as a distinguished Indian researcher.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Dr Mashelkar has received more than 50 awards and honorary doctorates and is a member of numerous scientific bodies and committees. The President of India honoured Dr Mashelkar with the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Bhushan in 2000. He also received the Business Week Star of Asia Award, and the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology.
DILIP SHANGHVI
He started his career by helping his father in his wholesale generic drugs business in Kolkata. It was during his work as a drugs distributor in Kolkata that he thought of manufacturing his own drugs instead of selling others’ products. It is quite hard to believe that the third-richest person in India started his pharma company with only five products and five people. Shanghvi has succeeded in the industry by targeting niche markets like lifestyle and psychiatry drugs. The first unit of Sun Pharmaceuticals was set up in Gujarat to manufacture psychiatric medicines.
BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENTS
Shanghvi is known for his ability to resuscitate sick companies. He has been quite steady and stable in his expansion plans. In 1997, Sun acquired Caraco Pharma, a loss-making American company, with the aim of expanding Sun’s reach in the United States. Sun also acquired Israel’s Taro Pharma in 2007.