Bollywood stars entertain audience at award ceremony

Akshay Kumar and Govinda stole the show at the ninth International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards ceremony in Bangkok with their dazzling dance moves while Boman Irani and Ritesh Deshmukh made up for organizational glitches through their hilarious imitations of superstars.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Siam Niramit Hall cheered as their favorite stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Diya Mirza and Dino Morea, walked down the IIFA green carpet.

The Siam Niramit Hall, which can seat 2,000 people, was packed and Akshay Kumar and Govinda ensured the audience was not disappointed.

Kumar, who was honored with a special award from the host country, made a spectacular entry, flying onto the stage on a skateboard gliding along a wire. He danced to the title song of his forthcoming film ‘Singh Is King’ as well as past popular numbers and had the crowd asking for more.

Govinda, who bagged the best comic actor award for ‘Partner’, also impressed the crowd with his dance moves.

Priyanka Chopra and debutant Harman Baweja, who will be seen together in ‘Love Story 2050’, too gave a dazzling performance.

Best actress award winner Kareena Kapoor, dressed in a silver blouse and purple harem pants, performed on songs from her recent films ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Tashan’. She was followed by Katrina Kaif who danced to a medley of tracks from her hit film ‘Race’.

Aishwarya Rai looked her best in a strapless red satin fishtail gown but did not get any awards. But Abhishek Bachchan walked away with the best style icon award.

‘Chak De! India’, which won critical acclaim and mass popularity, was adjudged the best film, while superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Shimit Amin respectively bagged the best actor and best director trophies.

Khan was not present at the gala and producer Yash Chopra accepted the award on his behalf. The film also won awards for story and screenplay.

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7 of Indian origin among 106 ‘Ellis Island Medal of Honor 2008' recipients

Seven Indian Americans, four of them doctors, and one of them an Indian citizen, are among the 2008 Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients. A total of 106 persons of different ethnic backgrounds, were honored with the prestigious medal on May 10 at a ceremony on Ellis Island. They include Dr. Samir N.Chaudhuri, among the ‘International' medalists, Pamela Kwatra, Dr. Bhupendra R. Patel, Mukesh Patel, Dr. Sampat S. Shivangi, Dr. Dhiraj H. Shah, and Nadadur Vardhan.

Dr. Samir Chaudhuri

D r. Chaudhuri, a pediatrician by training, who graduated from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, co-founded the Child in Need Institute (CINI) in Kolkata in 1974, and has received the UNICEF World of Children Awards last year. CINI is a non-governmental organization that focuses its efforts on severely malnourished children and their education.

He has been a consultant with several international organizations in countries like Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Somalia, South Africa, the Sudan, Swaziland, Thailand, and Uganda. He has served on India's Planning Commission on child health, nutrition, and rural/urban development.

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'Rafta Rafta…,' award-winning British play holds up merry mirror to U.S. Desis

Crossing the Atlantic to wide critical acclaim, Ayub Khan-Din's hit play, 'Rafta Rafta …', winner of the 2008 Olivier Award for the Best New Comedy, which officially opened Off Broadway on May 8 will do us Desis on this side of the waters a world of good.

Seeing it will make us laugh at ourselves, and let other Americans have a look-in without the least embarrassment. "Rafta Rafta…' is just as sparklingly a mirror for Indian Americans in Jackson Heights and Edison, - as it was for British Indians in Oldham or Salford, to have a merry look at themselves and allow other fellow Americans also to have a view of the inner tamasha of Desi family life.

No race issue or religious tension or economic crisis casts its shadow on this purely human comedy which had a most successful run at the National Theatre in Britain.

The New Group presented the U.S. premiere of Khan-Din's 'Rafta, Rafta…' in a limited Off- Broadway run at the Acorn from April 18 - June 21. Directed by Scott Elliott, the production had its Official Opening on May 8 at The New Group at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). 'Rafta, Rafta…' is a humorous tale of close-knit Indian family life in Britain.

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'Person of the Year 2007' - Mira Nair is ‘India Abroad Person of the Year 2007'

Critically acclaimed film director Mira Nair was announced the ‘India Abroad Person of the Year 2007', on March 28, at a glittering ceremony at the historic Gotham Hall in Manhattan.

The host of the evening, Sreenath Sreenivasan, WNBC's technology reporter, Journalism professor at Columbia University and co-founder of South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), created an atmosphere of suspense and celebrity.

The ture Master of Ceremony kept the suspense up. The winner was announced at the end. He acknowledged all mention ables during the evening which made it a perfect celebrity event.

The inaugural ‘India Abroad Person of the Year' award was conferred on Iowa legislator Swati Dandekar.

In 2003, Sonal Shah, co-founder of NGO Indicorps, was chosen.

In 2004, Olympic gymnast Mohini Bhardwaj, was chosen.

In 2005, then Congressman Bobby Jindal, now the governor of Louisiana, received the honor.

And In 2006, Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and CEO, PepsiCo received the award.

2007 winners in other categories:

Legendary economists Professor Padma Desai and her husband Professor Jagdish Bhagwati got the ‘India Abroad Lifetime Achievement Award'.

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