Kalam, Murthi to be honoured for contributing to India's development

Washington, Mar 11 (UNI) Former President A P J Abdul Kalam and Infosys chairman Narayan Murthi will be awarded Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service and Corporate Citizenship respectively by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the United States' Smithsonian Institution.

The award function would be held in New Delhi on September 29,2008.

The honour is being conferred upon them for their contributions to social welfare, technological research and economic prosperity.

''India and the rest of the world have benefited greatly from the distinguished careers of both honorees, as well as their considerable impact on India's development,'' WWC director Lee H Hamilton said today.

Dr Kalam would receive the Award for Public Service for his two decades of service to the people and government of India.

As a scientific advisor, he was instrumental in developing the Technology Vision 2020 document, a plan for enhancing and enriching India through innovation. Often called ''People's President'', he encouraged the country's budding technology sector and guided the economy's growth through the changing global market.

Mr Murthy was being awarded in recognition of his distinguished business career and commitment to civic service and philanthropy.

He is known for fostering India's economy by creating thousands of unique job opportunities. Moreover, he has been instituting social change by providing medical facilities, pension plans, and thousands of libraries to remote rural areas.

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