NEW YORK (TIP): America Tamil Sangam presented its highest honor – Tamil Ratna- on Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Subramanian Swamy at a glittering function held in New York on Saturday.

Presenting the award, Prakash M Swamy, president of America Tamil Sangam, said Dr. Swamy enhanced the image of Tamils around the world by rooting out corruption and abuse of power and working for more transparency and accountability in the functioning of the federal government.

The citation presented by the Sangam described the senior BJP leader as one-man army in India against corruption as he helped unearth many a scam that brought disgrace to the nation.

In his address Prakash M Swamy detailed the BJP leader’s contribution for purity in public life and his efforts to save Ram Sethu from demolition, a move of the then UPA DMK Government that invited lot of criticism. He compared Dr. Swamy with Lord Krishna and Narendra Modi as Arjuna in the epic war against wholesale corruption and abuse of democratic power.

John Joseph, Chairman of the Sangam, said Dr. Swamy is among the most respected Tamil leaders in New Delhi which was once dominated by top notch statesmen-leaders such as Kamaraj, Sathyamoorthy and Rajaji

In his reply Dr. Swamy said India under the leadership of Modi is attracting foreign investments, is again wielding considerable clout in the world arena and projecting the message that India can be governed in the most transparent manner

He said the Aryan- Dravidan bogey of DMK got exposed and the party is running stripped and out of ideas and ideology to remain in politics.

Captain Stanley George, the highest ranking Indian-American in NYPD, was given community service award for his exemplary service to Indian community in New York.

Calai Chandra Executive Vice President of the Sangam, who proposed a vote of thanks said the previous Tamil Ratna Awardees include AR Rahman, Oscar winning composer, Kumari Kamala, world renowned Barathanatyam dancer, Bharathi Raja, ace movie director and Dr. Valavanur Subramaniam, leading interventional cardiologist of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.