GOPIO-CT Honors Five Indian American Achievers & Cong. Himes

On Saturday, June 7th, at its Eighth Annual Awards Banquet at the Italian Center, Stamford, The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO)-Connecticut Chapter honored outstanding achievers of the Indian American community and those who provide service to the community and/or India or the society at large.

This year, GOPIO-CT selected U.S. Representative from Connecticut 4th District Congressman Jim Himes as a Friend of India. A member of India Caucus, Jim has been a supporter of Indian American community. Himes has been working hard to provide all children in America access to a first-rate public school, affordable and effective health care, a decent and safe home, and a supportive community. An undergraduate from Harvard, Jim earned a Rhodes Scholarship, and attended Oxford University in England.

Three Indian Americans were honored for their achievements in business and profession. Dr. Subbarao Bollepalli, MD FAPA, was honored for his achievement in medicine. Dr. Bollepalli is a leading psychiatrist in the State of Connecticut. He retired as a Colonel from the United States Army Reserve, which was activated during the Iraqi War. He is a member of the Governing Council of Connecticut Medical Society (CSMS). He is currently the President of Connecticut Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (CAPI). His interests include philanthropy, social service, spiritual reading and playing tennis.

A husband and wife team in business, Ashok and Meera Vasudevan, were selected to receive an entrepreneurship award. Ashok is a 'corporateur' turned entrepreneur who has co-founded, with his wife Meera, Preferred Brands International, which makes Tasty Bite, a leader in the specialty food industry. He is the CEO of Tasty Bite and also serves on the Board of several NGOs both in India and the US. He is the Adjunct Professor of International Entrepreneurship of Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai, India. Ashok attended the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Bajaj Institute Bombay and the Harvard Business School. Meera Vasudevan is a co-founder and Principal of ASG-Omni, a strategy-consulting firm that designs and develops entry strategies for large US corporations looking to do business in India. She has also worked closely on social research projects with the Indian government and UNICEF. She has a Bachelor in English with post-graduate qualifications in Marketing from the University of Madras and INSEAD, France.

Arati Sureddi was selected to receive an award for young achievers. Arati is the Founder of Lotus Alliance, a social enterprise addressing human trafficking and forced labor through the responsible tourism industry. She has also helped in launching the Not My Life Awareness Initiative, the goal of which is to increase awareness of human trafficking among individuals who are in a position to influence policy and advocate for change. She is a graduate of Boston University's School of Management.

Prasad Chirnomula, an avid restaurateur, received a special award for promoting India cuisine to American society and helping community groups through media. Chirnomula creates delectable and imaginative food in each of his four Thali restaurants and Mexican in his latest venture - Oaxaca Kitchen. In addition to running his five restaurants, Chef Prasad leads tasting tours of India, hosts private tasting dinners, teaches cooking classes and offers his services at multiple charity events for such groups as the American Liver Foundation, Varli, James Beard House, the American Red Cross, Share Our Strength, the Connecticut Food Bank and the Food Bank for New York City. He has studied at the Food Craft Institute of Poona, including culinary arts and hotel management.