Event
GOPIO awards and annual banquet
Every year, GOPIO hosts an Awards Banquet to honor Indian Americans who have made outstanding services and have made significant contributions in their field of specialization. It gets wide coverage in the media.
Past Events
Click or Hover over the images to read about the AWARDEES
AWARDEES of 2023
Michael Rao
Michael Rao, Ph.D. serves as the fifth president of Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System. He is also a tenured professor in the nation’s fifth ranked healthcare management program.
Sitting at the nexus of access and excellence, VCU is a unique mix of high impact research, academics and health care, paired with a diverse student population.
Siva Subramanian
Dr. Subramanian is boarded in Pediatrics and Neonatal Perinatal Medicine. He joined Georgetown University after his residency and fellowship training in 1974. He is an Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics & Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Chief Emeritus of Neonatology at the Flanagan Family Foundation NICU at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital.
Rajeev Bhambri
Rajeev has been media veteran over 30 ears an experienced business professional. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of a weekly New India Abroad publishing in English and Hindi languages with daily newsletters.
Mayur Mody
Mr. Mayur Mody is the founder and board member of the American Diversity Group since 2013. He has begun his journey with the American Diversity Group to bring together the diverse group of people to build and sustain healthy community and enriched lives through interated medical practice, education and awareness with the purpose of purpose of empowering communities to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity.
Sant Gupta
Sant Gupta has been living in Northern Virginia for the past 22 years. He immigrated to the US in 1969 to undertake graduate studies in Electrical Engineering. He has worked as an Engineer, Sales executive, Marketing and Product management. Along the way, he earned an M.B.A, with a major in Marketing and Finance. Currently, he works for a defense-oriented electronic equipment manufacturing firm as a Business Development Executive.
Mayur Shah
The story of Mr. Mayur Shah is a very interesting and inspiring story. Born on 19 April 1960 in Bharuch. He came to the US in September 1999. He started his journey and understood different accent started working at Bloomingdale and left the job in six Month. Then join Chevy Chase bank as sales associate and after two years become Branch Manager at chevy chase Bank as manager till 2005. He switched his carrier in January 2006 and join mortgage division as a loan officer, specializing in, “First time home buyer” and helping people to achieve their dream home.
(NYSBA).
Vatsala Mehra
VATSALAMEHRA, winner of the Best International Woman Ghazal Singer Award and the Best International Sufi Singer award, has been acclaimed worldwide for her diverse repertoire that includes 17 CDs/Albums, recorded with major music companies in India. Ms Mehra was honored with an award by the Government of India for her contribution in projecting India’s musical tradition in the U.S. amongst many others such as IFAB Best International Sufi Singer award May, 2019 and Global Film and Music festivalAward, March 2022
AWARDEES of 2021
Prof. Ram B. Gupta,
Dr. Ram B. Gupta is a Professor and the Associate Dean for
Faculty Research Development in the College of Engineering at
the Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. At VCU he helps faculty develop world-class research in all its engineering disciplines. During the last seven years (2014-2021), he helped increased the sponsored research by 400%. Previously, Gupta served the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) as director of the Energy for Sustainability program. Currently, he provides expert help to NSF in its Engineering Research Centers program. Development activities.
Mr. Korok Ray
Korok is an Associate Professor at the Mays Business School of Texas A&M University, and Director of the Mays Innovation Research Center. He is a labor economist who researches the future of work. In particular, he investigates how computer science and machine learning can create better electronic labor markets that will become ever more common in a networked society.
Prof. Indrajit S. Saluja
Founder editor and publisher of The Indian Panorama, a digital weekly with headquarters in New York, Prof. Indrajit S Saluja is a serial editor of
newspapers and magazines. After moving to the US in 2003, he has contributed significantly to the growth of Punjabi media. He is responsible for starting four Punjabi publications: Shane-e-Punjab (2004), Punjabi Duniya (’04), Apna Punjab (’05), and Punjabi Patrika (’07). He has been a well-known anchor onRavi Punjabi TV andJusPunjabi TV.
Mrs. Nilima Mehra
Nilima Mehra, by profession is a Biochemist (McGill University, Montreal, Canada). She is a speech writer. She is married to D.r Rajesh N. Mehra. They have 3 children.
She has been in media, both on Radio & TV, for over the past 51 years. Mrs. Mehra is known globally for being a world class Master of Ceremonies for renowned live stage shows Nationally &Internationally aswell astheatre &political events.
Mrs. Vinita Tiwari
Vinita Tiwari is an educator, writer, and performer of Indian origin residing in the USA. She grew up in Rajasthan, India, and came to the United States after marriage. Her respect and affection for India and Indian culture made me start teaching Hindi in India International School, in Bethesda, MD. After having two kids Vinita Tiwari continued teaching Hindi at home. Now she works as a long-term substitute at one of thelocal high schools.
Ms. Janetha Reddy
Ms. Janetha Reddy is a practicing immigration Attorney in USA for over a decade now. Attorney Janetha Reddy graduated with an LLM degree from the Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis. She graduated with an LLB degree from the Osmania University Law School in India and is admitted to the Bar in India.
Ms. Janetha Reddy is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and New York State Bar Association (NYSBA).
AWARDEES of 2018
Dr. Ravi Chaudhary
Dr. Ravi Chaudhary is the Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He is responsible for the execution of advanced development and research programs in support of the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation mission. He also leads all AST Research and Development activities.
Dr. Ram Reddy
Dr. Reddy, is retired marathon runner, entrepreneur, investor, educator and an engineer. He has completed 15 marathons while he enjoys the chairmanship of a billion-dollar organization as an angel investor. Prior to this, he successfully ran his own consulting firm for 20 years.
Dr. Prashanth N. Bharadwaj
Dr. Prashanth Bharadwaj is a Dean’s Associate, Eberly College of Business and Information Technology and Professor, Department of Management, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and has over 25 years of teaching experience in the areas of operations management, supply chain, quality, strategy, entrepreneurship, and learning organizations.
Mr. Jay Mandal
Jay Mandal is a photojournalist with a career spanning 35 years. Born in Bishnupur, West Bengal, he studied Botany (Hons.) from the University of Burdwan and began his proficiency in photography through images of landscape and nature, marvels of architecture, and exquisite craftsmanship of the historic district.
Dr. Rajesh N. Mehra
Dr. Rajesh N. Mehra is Medical Director and Principal of Global Medical Center. Dr. Mehra’s tenure with state and federal medical projects span over two decades and have earned him a reputation of being dedicated and thorough, even in the most complicated cases.
Swati Sharma
A visualizer, teacher and a performer, Swati Sharma is the founder and president of the Swaranjali School of Music. She started her musical journey at the tender age of 5 and won her first national music competition having been trained for mere 15 days and since then she hasn’t looked back.