Pravasi Bharatiya Divas: Singapore club to be honoured

The foundation of Singapore Indian Association was laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on June 17, 1950.

Singapore, Jan 6: One of Singapore's oldest sporting clubs for Indians will be conferred with Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the President Pranab Mukherjee in Benguluru next week. The award will be given at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention on January 9.

The Singapore Indian Association, formed in 1923, will be conferred Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the President at the convention, Jawed Ashraf, the High Commissioner of India to Singapore, said.

The award is part of the annual PBD conventions on a Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin or an organisation or institution established and run by NRIs or PIOs. The foundation of IA was laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on June 17, 1950.

"When I look at the history of the Singapore Indian Association and the work it has done here and the work it continues to do, its contribution cannot simply be measured by the award," Ashraf said during his January 4 visit to IA.

"A club has illustrious sporting history in cricket, hockey, football and other sports. In accepting this honour, the association has made the award more luminous," the High Commissioner was quoted as saying by Singapore's Friday weekly, tabla! on Friday.

The PBSA recognises significant contributions in the fields, such as creating better understanding abroad of India; support for India's causes and concerns in a tangible way; and building closer links between India, the overseas Indian community and their country of residence.

The recognition is also for social and humanitarian causes in India or abroad; welfare of the local Indian community; Philanthropic and charitable work; eminence in one's field or outstanding work, which has enhanced India's prestige in the country of residence or eminence in skills that have enhanced India's prestige in that country for non-professional workers.

Singapore has 9.2 per cent Indians in its population of 5.78 million, more than 6,000-registered businesses across various economic sectors and a strong expatriate community of professionals and blue-colour workers who calls the city state their second home away from India.

PTI