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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                  JUNE 26, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 24

                     GOPIO-CT Marks 20th Anniversary,

                              Honors Distinguished Leaders

            OUR BUREAU
            Darien, CT
                  he Connecticut chapter of the
                  Global Organization of People
            Tof Indian Origin (GOPIO-CT)
            celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a
            grand Annual Awards Banquet at the
            Water’s Edge Banquet Hall, Darien,
            CT on June 13, 2026, recognizing five
            prominent Indian American leaders for
            their civic and professional excellence.   CT Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson presenting award plaque to   DCG Vishal Harsh presenting the award to CT State Senator Sujata
                The milestone event brought to-
            gether a bipartisan group of state and           veteran journalist Ajay Ghosh                          Gadkar-Wilcox
            local lawmakers, community leaders,
            and professionals, reflecting the grow- ways, its success became a model for
            ing political, economic, and cultural  GOPIO International in shaping the
            influence of the South Asian diaspora   structure and activities of local chap-
            in Connecticut and across the United   ters worldwide.
            States.  The  evening  also  highlighted   While reflecting on the origins of
            two decades of GOPIO-CT’s commit- GOPIO International, Dr. Abraham
            ment to advocacy, cultural preserva-  said, since its launch in 1989, GOPIO
            tion, and community service.      has championed issues affecting the
                The Chief Guest was India’s  Indian Diaspora, including civil rights,
            Deputy Consul General in New York,  human rights, community empower-
            Vishal Harsh, who also presented   ment, and political participation. GO-
            awards to the honorees. Other digni- PIO continues to expand its mission
            taries who spoke at the banquet were   through conferences, public forums,
            CT Senators Sujata Gadkar Wilcox   community celebrations, social service,
            and Tony Hwang, and CT Assembly- a  philanthropic  initiatives.  “GOPIO
            man Jonathan Jacobson.            remains committed to enhancing In-    DCG Vishal Harsh presenting the award  to Nitin Mhatre,  CEO at First County Bank
                Dr. Vishal Harsh, Deputy Consul  dia’s image globally while promoting
            General of India in New York, in his   business, trade, investment, philan-  Distinguished Honorees Across Sectors   •  In Corporate Leadership, the chap-
            keynote address said, “The achieve- thropic linkages between India and                                  ter will recognize Nitin Mhatre, who
            ments of Indian Americans have be- the worldwide Indian Diaspora,” Dr.   This year’s honorees represented    assumed the role of Chief Executive
            come a global benchmark—communi- Abraham the veteran founder of GO-         a wide range of fields:     Officer  at  First  County  Bank  on
            ties across the world look to replicate  PIO said.                 •  In the category of Political Lead-  April 15, 2026. Mhatre takes the
            the success and impact you have creat-  Mike Joshi, the GOPIO-CT Ban-  ership, GOPIO-CT honored  State   helm of an independent mutual
            ed in the United States.” Elaborating  quet Chair and GOPIO-CT Secretary,   Senator Prof. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox.   community bank that has operated
            on the success story of the Diaspora,  who eloquently emceed the gala, said,   Elected to the Connecticut State   continuously  in  Fairfield  County
            he said,  “The Indian diaspora in the  “The banquet is not only a celebration   Senate in 2024 to represent the   and the surrounding Connecticut
            United  States  stands  as  a  powerful   of the 20th year milestone for GOPIO   22nd  District—which  encompasses   municipalities for more than 174
            testament to excellence, innovation,  but also enabled us to raise funds to   parts of Trumbull, Monroe, and   years.
            and global leadership. They have dis-  support Youth Charity Initiatives in   Bridgeport—Gadkar-Wilcox  is •  Hemchandra M. Shertukde, Ph.D.,
            tinguished  themselves  across  sectors,  our community. Your continued sup-  also a Professor of Legal Studies at   P.E., DMS, who is being recognized
            setting benchmarks of achievement  port makes it possible for GOPIO   Quinnipiac University.            for his Achievements in Engineer-
            and integrity.” He highlighted the   to continue to deliver on its mission  •  The award for Entrepreneurship   ing and Applied Sciences. Dr. Sher-
            numerous consular services available   of enhancing cooperation between   and Business Achievements will be   tukde has served as a faculty mem-
            to the Diaspora community, making   people of Indian Origin with local   presented to Dr. Anil R. Diwan, the   ber in the College of Engineering,
            them available 24/7, to meet the needs   communities and continue to support   founder, president, and executive   Technology, and Architecture at the
            of the community, he said.        through charitable contributions and   chairman of NanoViricides, Inc.   University of Hartford for nearly 40
                Dr.  Thomas  Abraham,  founder  volunteer efforts across Connecticut.”  (NYSE  American:  NNVC).  Head-  years.
            president  of  GOPIO  International   The 2026 honorees included a    quartered in Connecticut, Diwan’s  •  Ajay Ghosh, a veteran journalist
            and chair of the Awards Committee,  state senator, a nanotechnology exec-  firm  has  focused  on  the  develop-  received the award in the Journal-
            emphasized  the  broader  significance   utive, a veteran journalist, a prominent   ment of specialized antiviral thera-  ism category. Ghosh’s career spans
            of the honorees. “Over the past two   regional bank CEO, and a long-stand-  pies using proprietary “nanoviricide”   more than 30 years across mass me-
            decades, GOPIO-CT has set an out- ing  engineering  professor,  reflecting   technology, which aims to neutral-  dia, higher education, and clinical
            standing example of how a local chap- the diverse professional and civic con-  ize viruses mechanically rather than   healthcare, highlighting a versatile
            ter can effectively organize, engage,  tributions of the state’s growing South   relying solely on host immune re-  career path dedicated to public in-
            and serve the community. In many  Asian diaspora.                     sponses.                          terest communication.

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