India on Monday honoured 15 Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman at the end of the three-day conclave of overseas Indians in Hyderabad.

President A P J Abdul Kalam presented the award to 11 persons - four were not present to receive them - on the last day of the fourth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas that concluded in the city on Monday.

The award winners are:

• Shivanath Raj Bajaj: Chairman of the Diwanchand Group and a revered figure in the Indian community in Thailand.
• Eliahu Bezale: An agriculture scientist and a businessman from Israel, who has pioneered modern farming techniques.
• Abdool Raouf Bundhum: Vice-President of the Republic of Mauritius, who is also an active member of Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin.
• Pratima Kale: President of the Manila-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction.
• Dr Majid Uddin Kazi: A renowned cardiologist and the personal physician to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
• C M Menon: A business magnate and active Indian community leader from Qatar.
• Sir Gulam Kaderbhai Noon: Chairman and founder of Noon Products Limited of Southall, London [Images].
• Dr Sudhir Parikh: A practicing consulting allergist, who until recently served as the president of the Federation of Indian Associations, US.
• Yesu Persaud: The most prominent businessman and leading industrialist of Guyana.
• Dr V Ramadoss: Physician and advisor to the President of Seychelles.
• Sisupal Rambharos: One of the most highly decorated public figures in Durban, South Africa.
• Niranjan S Shah: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Globetrotters Engineering Corporation, US.
• Russy M Shroff: Managing Director of Ruttonjee Estates Continuation Limited in Hong Kong.
• Jean-Paul Virapoulle: A Senator in the French Senate and Mayor of Saint Andre, Reunion Island.
• Fareed Zakaria: Editor of Newsweek magazine.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards have been instituted to recognise and reward meritorious contributions made by NRIs and PIOs to further India's interests and causes. The nominations for the award are invited from countries where there are sizeable number of NRIs and PIOs.

Complete coverage: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, 2006