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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline DECEMBER 27, 2024 | The Indian Eye 28

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

PRIYANKA CHOPRA DR. KALYAN CHAKRABORTY
Red Sea Film Festival 2024 Professor is December 2024

honors global star Member of the Month by IAES

r. Kalyan Chakraborty, an associate professor in the School of Account-
ing, Economics, and Finance at Lamar University, has been named the
DDecember 2024 Member of the Month by the International Atlantic
Economic Society (IAES).
ctress Priyanka Chopra was bestowed with an honorary award at the “I feel humbled and lucky to be selected among thousands of highly qual-
prestigious Red Sea Film Festival 2024, held in Jeddah. The event, ified and reputed research scholars around the world who are members of
Awhich brings together filmmakers and talent from around the globe, IAES. This recognition is a motivation for me to undertake innovative re-
celebrated Chopra’s remarkable contributions to global cinema. search that is meaningful and valuable to society,” Chakraborty said.
The award was presented to Chopra by ‘Sex and the City’ star Sarah Jessica With a diverse range of research interests, Dr. Chakraborty has contrib-
Parker, who described it as a “true honour” to recognize Chopra’s achievements. uted extensively to the fields of applied microeconomics, health economics,
The actress, known for her roles in both Hollywood and Bollywood, was public education economics, and biotechnology policy. Dr. Chakraborty first
joined on the red carpet by her husband, singer-actor Nick Jonas, who looked joined the IAES shortly after earning his Ph.D. in 1998, following the recom-
dapper in black blazer and trousers. Priyanka herself dazzled in a shimmering mendation of his advisor.
gown, radiating grace and joy as the couple made their way down the red carpet. “I received the Best Article of the Year award from the Atlantic Econom-
In her acceptance speech, Chopra expressed deep gratitude for the recognition. ic Journal in 2018. In each month, the IAES Conference Committee selects
“Thank you for the wonderful honour, Red Sea Film Festival,” she said, one research scholar among its members as a Member of the Month (MoM),
sharing her appreciation on social media alongside stunning photos from the based on their current and future research agenda and its societal impact,”
event. “Congratulations to all the winners and participants. Here’s to contin- Chakraborty said.
ually bringing the world of entertainment together.” The International Atlantic Economic Society (IAES) offers an opportuni-
Chopra’s speech highlighted the importance of the Red Sea Film Festival ty to publish papers in two highly acclaimed journals in economics discipline,
in fostering a space for filmmakers across cultures and languages. i.e., Atlantic Economic Journal and International Advances in Economic Re-
Reflecting on her career, she shared how, early in her journey, she was search. urrently, Dr. Chakraborty is working on a research project examining
told that non-English films wouldn’t be able to “travel” internationally. “I the relationship between the quality of education and economic growth across
come from an industry that spoke Hindi and Telugu, basically non-English 53 countries over the past four decades. Another ongoing project explores the
films. Yet, we are here today,” she remarked, commending the festival for effects of state-level minimum wages and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
creating a platform that transcends borders, language, and nationality. benefits on reducing food insecurity.
The actress expressed her gratitude to her fellow artists and collaborators, A distinguished academic with over 25 years of teaching and research
as well as to her family. Addressing Nick Jonas, she lovingly said, “My won- experience, Dr. Chakraborty earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Utah State
derful husband is here, waiting to escort me down, the gentleman that he is.” University, following an M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the
She also took a moment to honour her late father, who passed away in University of Nevada, Reno. His academic journey began in India, where he
2013. “My father was the first entertainer I ever knew,” Chopra said. earned an M.A. in Economics, a law degree, and a diploma in management.
In addition to thanking her loved ones, Chopra also acknowledged the Dr. Chakraborty’s career has spanned a variety of institutions, including
global filmmaking community. “We get to play for a living, we get to tell sto- Emory University, the University of Tampa, Emporia State University, and
ries for a living, and we get to dream for a living,” she said, adding, “And you Northern State University. He also served as Associate Director and Senior
have been able to bring people together outside of borders, languages to just Research Scientist at the Haas Center for Research at the University of West
celebrate this incredible medium of cinema.” Florida before joining Lamar University. Continued on next page... >>

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