7 Indian Americans Win Ellis Island Medals of Honor
By LISA TSERING
India-West Staff Reporter

Entrepreneur Pamela Kwatra, Dr. Samir N. Chaudhuri, founder of the Child in Need Institute in Kolkata; and Dr. Dhiraj H. Shah, a retired radiologist near Buffalo, New York, are among seven Indian Americans named recipients of this year’s Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Dr. Bhupendra R. Patel, Nadadur Vardhan and Mukesh Patel were also named recipients.
:by indiawest

Business
Saumya Gurbani Scores Double Win at Heritage Awards
By MICHEL W. POTTS
Special to India-West

LONG BEACH, Calif. — It was a bit of a struggle for Saumya Gurbani, juggling two trophies in his arms as he posed for photos, after being declared the winner of the 22nd annual India Heritage Awards hosted May 4 by the Indian American Heritage Foundation at the Golden Sails hotel here.
:by indiawest

Entertainment
Hits Galore from Bollywood’s Udit Narayan
By LISA TSERING
India-West Staff Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO — Bollywood playback legend Udit Narayan entertained with a warmly performed selection of some of his hit songs at the Cow Palace May 3.

The supporting cast of performers that included his 20-year-old son, rising star Aditya Narayan, starlet Preeti Jhangiani and “Indian Idol” contestant Aditi Paul-Majumdar, dominated the three-hour show.
:by indiawest

Magazine
Akhtar Mirza Beguiles Crowd as Solanki Lecturer
By MICHEL W. POTTS
Special to India-West

LONG BEACH, Calif. — An hour before he was to give his presentation at the Sixth Annual Solanki Lecture before a sizable crowd who had shown up May 3 at the Pointe at the Pyramid on the California State University Long Beach campus here, film director and novelist Saeed Akhtar Mirza admitted he was nervous.
:by indiawest