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Seven NRIs appointed to Michigan Advisory Council
The council is charged with serving in an advisory capacity to the Michigan governor, reports Lalit K Jha.
The Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, has nominated as many as seven Indo-Americans to the newly reconstituted Advisory Council on Asian and Pacific American Affairs.
Topping the list of the Indo-Americans is Radha Krishnan, president elect of the National Federation of India American Associations, and a prominent community leader in United States.
The first meeting of the Council is scheduled for June 27 (Monday), wherein the agenda is mostly related to civil rights issue.
The council is charged with serving in an advisory capacity to the governor and alerting Granholm to pertinent issues within the Asian and Pacific American community.
It will also make recommendations about programs and policies for betterment of Asian and Pacific Islanders in Michigan and will help promote public awareness of Asian and Pacific American culture and accomplishments.
Among other Indo-Americans nominated to the Advisory Council are Anand S. Prasad, professor at Wayne State University School of medicine; Ganesh Reddy, who is director of business development for HTC Global Services, Inc (an IT company); and Narendra Kumar, an eminent medical specialist.
In her recent office order, Granholm also nominated Samir Singh, Ramesh C. Verma and Jayashree Kommareddi to the Advisory Council.
Singh is president and chief executive officer of Michigan Non-Profit Association, while Verma is a retired director of Design, Construction and Utilities Office, the University of Michigan Hospitals, besides being member of the Commission on Services to the Aging.
Past president of the Genesee County Medical Society Alliance, Kommareddi is program committee member of Mott Children's Health Center and board member of the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic.
Talking to HidnustanTimes.com, Radha Krishnan said the members to Advisory Council have been nominated for four year term.
Recognizing Krishnan's contribution in the community, the Michigan Governor wrote in her appointment letter: "It is a great and noble privilege to serve the people of Michigan. I know that you will do the people's work with excellence and integrity and that you will never take lightly the responsibility the people have given you."
Announcing formation of such a council and its members, the Governor acknowledged the significant contribution of Michigan's Asian and Pacific Islander community State's culture and economy. "This council both underscores the community's contributions and takes us one step closer to our vision of 'One Michigan'," she said in a statement.
Welcoming the decision of the Michigan Governor to constitute such a Advisory Council for the Asian Pacific community members and nominate Indo-Americans as its members, Krishnan said that this was recognition of the emergence of the community in the State.
Krishnan, who was a director of the Greater Detroit Interfaith Roundtable for many years, at present is the executive vice president of Federation of Indian-American Associations – the largest and highest apex organization of Indian-Americans.
He is also credited with conducting the largest Indian-American convention in Michigan to date last October.
Krishnan said he wants to take trade delegation from Michigan to India, besides raising awareness about India and Indians among the people of Michigan.
