SAI PREMA GETS PRESTIGIOUS INDIAN AWARD
Sai Prema Foundation Fiji, has been awarded the prestigious “Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2021” by the President of India.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. PBSA is conferred by the President of India as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin or an organisation/ institution established and run by Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin in recognition of their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad.
The 16th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention was held virtually on January 9, 2021.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards were conferred by the President at the PBD Convention in the valedictory session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations. A Jury-cum-Awards Committee, with the Vice-President as the Chairman and External Affairs Minister as the Vice-Chair and other distinguished members from various walks of life considered the nominations for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards, 2021 and unanimously selected the awardees.
The awardees represent the vibrant excellence achieved by our diaspora in various fields. Several countries have been represented for the first time among the awardees.
Outstanding Community Service
In his inaugural address, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi delivered a powerful address focusing on the achievements of the Indian diaspora globally as well as work done by organizations in cultural development and community service.
The award to Sai Prema Foundation
Fiji is the highest Presidential award conferred to organizations outside of India. The Foundation was duly recognised for its “Outstanding Community Service” and was one of only four organisations bestowed with the award globally. Acting High Commissioner of India to Fiji S.C. Sahoo said, “I am delighted that a Fiji NGO has been conferred the prestigious “Pravasi Bharatiya Samman” by His Excellency the President of India. Sai
Prema Foundation’s community service projects and initiatives have positively impacted the underprivileged and needy people of Fiji,” he said.
“The Children’s Heart Hospital which the Foundation is developing in Fiji will save the lives of countless children in Fiji and the Pacific. This hospital has links to The Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Heart Charitable Hospital in India and this further strengthens the bond between India and Fiji.
“This Hospital will be unique as all services offered will be totally free of charge for the children of Fiji and the South Pacific and I commend Sai Prema Foundation for initiating what will be, perhaps, the largest charitable project by any NGO in the country’s history” said Mr. Sahoo.
Do more for the people
Sai Prema Foundation Director and Bollywood singer Sumeet Tappoo said that Sai Prema Foundation is truly humbled by this honour by the President of India and it has further strengthened their resolve to do more for the people of Fiji.
Sai Prema Foundation’s multitude of charitable and community service projects include the free Medical Centre, South Pacific’s first Children’s Heart Screening Centre, a rural medical outreach programme to the rural villages of Fiji, a national feeding programme for the underprivileged and needy families, a national disaster relief programme, free heart surgeries for the children of Fiji and the $25m Children’s Heart Hospital which will be offering free heart surgeries and treatments for the children of Fiji and the South Pacific.
SAI PREMA FOUNDATION FIJI