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Toronto, Ontario, January 9, 2014: His Excellency Shri Pranab Mukherjee, President of the Republic of India, today conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA), the highest honour bestowed on non-resident Indians, by the Government of India on Mr. Vasu Chanchlani at a glittering ceremony held at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.
Overwhelmed by the singular recognition, Mr. Chanchlani noted, “I am humbled by the honour to be included in the august group of distinguished past Global Indian recipients.” He emphasized that he was heartened by the recognition of his philanthropic contribution in the Canada-India corridor.
Naval Bajaj, President, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), in his congratulatory message, said, “Our Chamber was awarded the PBSA in 2012. On the heels of the ICCC’s uniquely global recognition by the Government of India for its role amongst the Diaspora, we are extremely pleased that our Chamber’s nominee and a prominent member, Mr. Chanchlani, has been recognized for his outstanding accomplishments as a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist.”
One of the senior-most ministers, The Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board of Canada said, “Mr. Chanchlani’s passion for supporting philanthropic causes in Canada is second only to his passion for those related to India. His commitment to Canadian institutions in raising the stature of India globally and promoting the interests of Canada, India, and Indo-Canadians has benefited many.”
Mr. Chanchlani has helped set-up multi-million dollar endowments at the McMaster University, the University of Toronto and the Waterloo University with research centres named after him. He has also established three global research/recognition awards through endowments at McMaster University, the Canadian National Institute for Blind and at the Canada India Foundation.
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Canada’s Minister of State (Multiculturalism), Hon. Tim Uppal, said, “This is a proud moment that Mr. Chanchlani is the first Indo-Canadian to be honoured for his path-breaking philanthropic initiatives."
Hon. Patrick Brown. Member of Parliament and the Co-chair of Canada-India Parliamentary Association, said, “I am well acquainted with the wonderful work that Mr. Chanchlani has been doing for many years. This award to Mr. Chanchlani is testimony to the fact that the Indo-Canadian community is not only contributing to the fabric of the Canadian society but also to their country of origin.”
His Excellency Stewart Beck, the High Commissioner of Canada to India, said, “I congratulate Mr. Chanchlani for getting the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and for the great work that he is doing.”
Aditya Jha, recipient of the Order of Canada, expressed unbridled joy at Mr. Chanchlani’s award. “As a rare serial entrepreneur, who has successfully started and exited from six technology ventures, Vasu has been guided by a unique philanthropic vision that doesn’t believe in merely giving donations to charity, but to support transnational research/ recognition initiatives that contribute to capacity building and finding long-term solutions to intractable problems.”
Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, being one of the oldest and the largest diaspora organizations in Canada, is proud that a prominent member of the Chamber who has had the unique distinction of twice winning the Chamber’s award: ‘Technology Achievement Award’ and the ‘President’s Award’; has been further recognized through this prestigious global diaspora award from the Government of India.
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