Birla, Aditya Puri, Nirj Deva to get Global award

The awards, given every alternate year, would be conferred on the achievers on September 18 at a glittering function here, Priyadarshini Academy chairman Nanik Rupani said in a statement today.

Eight awards would be presented in various disciplines. The awards, comprising a specially designed trophy and a scroll of honour, have been instituted by the academy since its inception in 1985.

The awardees have been selected by a committee headed by Dr R A Mashelkar, Chairman, Global awards committee.

Birla took over as Chairman of the Group when he was barely 28 years. From a turnover of USD 2 billion in 1995, the Group's revenues are in excess of US$ 35 billion and its operations from 8 countries then, span 36 countries today.

Puri, Managing Director of HDFC Bank, has turned the organisation into a world class Indian bank which has made significant progress in banking sector, the statement said.

Deva is the first person in history to be born in one continent (Asia), to be elected to parliament in another (UK) and elected to represent that country as a member of a multi-national Parliament (the European Parliament), the statement said.

A British and Sri Lankan citizen, Deva was the first non-white to sit on the Conservative benches in the British House of Commons in the 20th century, the statement added.