sectarian approach From Our Correspondent IDRF'sVinod Prakash denied award A> The Federation of Indian Americans, National Capital Region (FIA-NCR) kicked up a row recently while celebrating the Asian-American Heritage month. In focus yet again is Vinod Prakash of Indian Development Relief Fund (IDRF). The FIA-NCR has in the past recognised and awarded Indian Americans who have excelled in various fields, including social work. According to reports received from Washington, this year around, one of the nominees, Vinod Prakash was denied the award even after formally inviting him to receive the award. An eager Vinod Prakash went to the function with his wife Smt. Sarla Prakash and was duly escorted to a reserved table. After this year'srecipients, Kumar Barve and First Lieutenant Shiby Chacko received their awards, Hari Har Singh, chairperson of the awards committee, took the podium and announced guiltily that Prakash'snomination was not approved and hence he would only be recognised on stage. A visibly upset Shri Prakash, while speaking to the India Post termed it as an insult. ?They had no reason to call me and treat me like this,? he said, pointing out that an e-mail was sent to him by Hari Har Singh that read as follows: ?On behalf of the Federation of Indian-American Association, it is my honour to inform you that you have been selected to be the recipient of FIA-NCR Social Service Award, 2004 during the APA Heritage month celebration on Sunday, May 23, 2004 (5:00 to 9:00 p.m.) at the Potomac Community Centre, Potomac, Maryland. You are invited with your spouse to join us in the celebration and receive the award in person.? Shri Prakash lashed out at Smt. Ann Pillai, president, FIA-NCR, who according to him had spoken to him on the previous day. ?Smt. Ann Pillai called me to let me know that she was going to present the FIA-NCR social service award to me at the next day'sfunction. The phone conversation lasted 35 minutes as she informed me that my selection was controversial. Of course, the cause of controversy was the blind faith in the outrageous attack on IDRF by the report, The Foreign Exchange of Hate: IDRF and the American Funding of Hindutva. I assured her that despite the massive propaganda (especially through e-mail and print media), no government agency has taken any adverse action on IDRF. For instance, IDRF'stax-exempt status under IRS and IDRF'sregistration in various states in USA remains intact. Further, IDRF had duly filed its 2002 tax return to IRS, and it had a clean audit report for the year 2002.? Shri Prakash further added, ?Smt. Pillai did not have, I presume, enough moral courage to call me once she had decided to over-rule Dr Singh and delete the write-up about me as an awardee sent by him for inclusion in the programme booklet.? A senior board member of FIA said that at the recommendation of Satish Misra, Prakash'sname was chosen. However, Hari Har Singh, who chairs the awards committee and is not a board member, sent an e-mail to Prakash without consulting the FIA board. Whatever be the reason, though Prakash was not given the award, FIA chose to recognise him and he decided to accept that recognition.

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Jul 18, 2004, 12:00 am IST

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