Pravasi Bharatiya Samman


The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is an award constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, to honour exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession. The award is given by the President of India. Since 2016, the Government of India has doubled the number of awardees each year to 30 after a decision to grant the award once every two years.

Award criteria

is conferred for outstanding contributions in any of the following areas:

Awardees for 2019

Awardees for 2017

CountryNameField of Merit
Gorur Krishna HarinathCommunity Service
V.K. Rajashekharan PillaiBusiness
Antwerp Indian AssociationCommunity Service
Nazeer Ahamed Mohamed ZackiriahCommunity Service
Mukund PurohitBusiness
Nalinkumar Sumanlal KothariCommunity Service
Vinod PatelSocial Service
Raghunath Marie Antonin ManetArts & Culture
Lael Anson E.Best Medical Science
Sandip Kumar Tagore  Arts & Culture
Ariful IslamCommunity Service
Tan Sri Dato Dr. Muniandy ThambirajahEducation and Community Service
Pravind JugnauthPublic Service
António CostaPublic Service
Raghavan SeetharamanBusiness Management
Zeenat Musarrat JafriEducation
Singapore Indian AssociationCommunity Service
Carani Balaraman SanjeeviMedicine
Susheel Kumar SaraffBusiness
Winston Chandarbhan DookeranPublic Service
Vasudev Shamdas ShroffCommunity Service
India Social and Cultural Centre, Abu DhabiPhilanthropy & Community Service
Priti PatelPublic Service
Neena GillPublic Service
Hari Babu BindalEnvironmental Engineering
Bharat Haridas BaraiCommunity Service
Nisha Desai BiswalPublic Affairs
Mahesh MehtaCommunity Service
Ramesh ShahCommunity Service
Sampatkumar Shidramapa ShivangiCommunity Leadership

Awardees for 2015

Awardees for 2014

CountryNameDescriptionField of Merit
Ms. Senator Lisa Maria SinghFirst member of South Asian descent in Australian Parliament
Dr Varghese KurianLeading overseas Indian businessman
Vasdev ChanchlaniEntrepreneur and philanthropist based in
Ramakrishna Mission
BikasChandra SanyalRenowned educationist
Satnarainsing Rabin BaldewsinghSignificant contribution to promoting better understanding of India
Sasindran MthuvelFirst Member of Parliament of Indian origin in Papua
Shihabudeen VavaKunjuContributor to welfare of Indian community
Ms. Ela GandhiContributions in promoting ties etween India and South Africa, and the cause of freedom
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil arambathContribution in field of healthcare business and for promoting etter understanding of India
Shailesh VaraFirst Indian origin Govt. minister for Conservative Party
Dr. Parthasarathy Chiramel PillaiContributions in field of science, and fostering closer relations between India and USA
Dr. Renu KhatorOne of the first persons of Indian origin to head a higher system and a research university in the United States. Chancellor of the University of Houston System and President of the University of Houston
Dr. Namita Roy-ChowdhuryFirst Indian woman to become a full professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.Discoverer
of the genetic bases of inherited jaundice

Awardees for 2013

Awardees for 2012

Awardees for 2011

Awardees for 2010

CountryNameDescriptionField of Merit
Dr.Azad MoopenChairman of Aster DM HealthcareHealthcare
Dr. Rajni KanabarIn recognition of the philanthropic work done under the Tanzania Heart Babies Project. He was instrumental in facilitating surgeries of 1300 children from Tanzania in India who were suffering from congenital heart defects. Founder of the Regency Medical Centre in Dar es SalaamHealthcare
Shri Mohinder Singh BhullarCommunity Service
Shri Yanktesh Permal ReddyCommunity Service
Shri Ryuko HiraCommunity Service
Smt Dr. Ruby Umesh PawankarMedicine
Shri Suresh Kumar VirmaniCommunity Service
Shri Pravin Jamnadas GordhanPublic Service
 Dr. Tholisiah Perumal NaidooCommunity Service
Shri Deepak MittalBusiness
 Dr. Lenny Krishendath SaithPublic Service
Dr. Mani Lal BhaumikCommunity Service
Shri Ashok Kumar MagoCommunity Service
Shri Upendra J. ChivukulaPublic Service

Awardees for 2009

Awardees for 2008

Awardees for 2007

Awardees for 2006

Awardees for 2005

Awardees for 2004

Awardees for 2003

CountryNameDescription
Rt. Hon’ble Sir Anerood JugnauthPrime Minister of Mauritius
Prof. Fatima Meershe took active part in political, social and philanthropic causes, deeply influenced by the Gandhian values and approach
Dr. Hari N. HarilelaBusiness ventures and community welfare activities, he has been long considered the standard-bearer and the most recognizable symbol of the Indian Diaspora in Hong Kong.
Shri Kanaksi Gokaldas KhimjiThe Khimjis have utilized their proximity to the ruling family in the cause of the Diaspora and strengthening links between India and Oman.
Shri Manilal Premchand Chandaria He has used his resources to propagate Indian ethos and values. He helped set-up Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Academy Society and Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Fund in Kenya.
Navnit Dholakia, Baron DholakiaLord Dholakia made significant contributions in the fields of community care and issues relating to ethnic unrest. He played an important role in addressing the sensitive issue of racial discontent.
Shri Rajat GuptaShri Gupta has embarked on work relating to community welfare and social and Philanthropic causes. He played a key-role in the establishment of the Indian School of Business at Hyderabad.
Sir Shridath Surendranath RamphalSir Ramphal is a distinguished Jurist having been Solicitor General and Attorney General of Guyana and Member of International Commission of Jurists. Sir Ramphal also held positions of responsibility in international organizations such as Independent Commission on International Development Issues, Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues, Independent Commission of International Humanitarian Issues and World Commission on Environment and Development, Chairman UN Committee for Development Planning and President, World
Dato’ Seri S. Samy VelluDeputy Minister of Local Government and Housing ; Minister for Works and Minister of Energy, Tele communications & Posts, Malaysia. He has been a Member of the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament since 1974.
Ujjal DosanjhIn 1991 Shri Dosanjh was elected as Member of Legislative Assembly in the Vancouver Kensington constituency and then as Caucus Chair. He became the Minister for Human Rights, Multiculturalism, Sports and Immigration in 1995 and then was appointed the Attorney General of British Columbia. In a historic development, he was elected as the 33rd Premier and President of the Executive Council of the British Columbia, which is first for a person of Indian origin in Canada.