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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 03, 2023 | The Indian Eye 22

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

NARENDRA MULANI & VANDANA SIKKA ASHOK GADGIL & SUBRA SURESH

Pratham USA welcomes two as Biden honors scientists with

new Board Members highest scientific awards

ratham USA, a prominent non-profit organization dedicated to ad- S President Joe Biden has honored two Indian-American scientists –
vancing learning opportunities for children, women, and young people Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh – with the country’s highest scientif-
Pin India, proudly welcomes 2 outstanding corporate leaders, Narendra Uic awards for their contribution to the field of science and technology.
Mulani and Vandana Sikka, to its national board. Biden presented the prestigious White House National Medal for Technology
Narendra Mulani’s illustrious career includes serving on the boards of and Innovation to Gadgil, a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Civil and En-
XSELL Technologies and Irisvision, co-founding SiriusAI—an AI solutions vironmental Engineering at UC Berkeley, for providing life-sustaining resourc-
company with a focus on financial services—and advising Insight Venture es to communities around the world.
Partners. His leadership abilities led to the creation and exponential growth The award, bestowed on leading US innovators, recognizes those who have
of the Accenture Artificial Intelligence business unit. made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life and
He is committed to social causes as exemplified by his board positions at helped strengthen the nation’s technological workforce. Suresh, a professor at
different organizations. large at Brown University’s School of Engineering, was awarded the National
“Joining the Pratham USA board is an opportunity to channel my passion Medal of Science for pioneering research across engineering, physical sciences
for education. I am delighted to join the team that’s writing the story of the and life sciences, and particularly for advancing the study of material science
transformation of thousands of lives in India,” shared Narendra Mulani. and its application to other disciplines.
Vandana Sikka is a passionate advocate for the universal right to educa- Gadgil was one of 12 recipients of the White House National Medal for
tion and the founder and CEO of Learnee, a consumer technology company. Technology and Innovation. Gadgil has developed low-cost solutions to some
In 2014, she launched Infosys Foundation USA with its new focus on equita- of the developing world’s most intractable problems, including safe drinking
ble access to computer science and served as the Chairperson of the board of water technologies, energy-efficient stoves, and ways to make efficient electric
trustees where she defined the foundation’s strategy and oversaw grants that lighting affordable.
impacted millions of students. He focuses on robust inventions that can be deployed as widely as possible,
“I am thrilled to join Pratham USA’s national board and contribute to and together, his projects have helped more than 100 million people. Gadgil is
their crucial work in making quality learning accessible to all,” said Vandana also an expert in building energy efficiency and computational fluid dynamics of
Sikka. “Education is a powerful equalizer that has the potential to bridge indoor air and pollutant flows.
socioeconomic gaps, equip individuals with essential skills for the future, and The White House said Gadgil was presented the medal “for providing
open doors to new possibilities.” life-sustaining resources to communities around the world. His innovative, inex-
“We are elated to welcome Narendra Mulani and Vandana Sikka to pensive technologies help meet profound needs, from drinking water to fuel-ef-
our National Board,” expressed Dhiren Shethia, Chair, National Board, ficient cookstoves. His work is inspired by a belief in the dignity of all people
Pratham USA. “Their experience and visionary leadership will undoubtedly and in our power to solve the great challenges of our time.”
guide our work to further Pratham’s mission of transforming lives through Gadgil’s award is the 17th national medal overall and the second National
learning.” Medal of Technology and Innovation that Berkeley Lab researchers have earned.
As per Pratham USA, their extensive experience, unwavering commit- “The world is not a fair place. I try to bend my knowledge of science, engi-
ment to education, and dedication to philanthropy align perfectly with the neering, and creativity to make it a little less unfair for the people who are hold-
organization’s mission to offer opportunities for learning to millions in India. Continued on next page... >>

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