NEW YORK (TIP): The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center (http://keralacenterny.com) will honor six Indian American Malayalees for their outstanding achievements in their field of specialization or for their service to the society at its 25th Anniversary (Silver Jubilee) Awards Banquet to be held on November 4th. The Center is also honoring five of its pioneers with Silver Jubilee Year Life Time Achievement Awards

“Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1991 and every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements,” said Kerala Center President Thambi Thalappillil.

“In 25 years, Kerala Center has become a secular civic institution providing services to the Indian American community and we are recognizing those who were honored earlier by the Center and who went on to become successful achievers and contributors to society with Life Time Achievement,” said Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of the 25th Anniversary Dinner.

 This year’s honorees  include  Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, the U.S. Representative for Washington state’s seventh congressional district, the first Indian American woman elected to the U.S House of Representatives in Political Leadership; Attorney Appen Menon, a partner at Wormser, Kiely, Galef & Jacobs LLP law firm in New York for contribution in Legal Services; writer Dr. Sheela N.P. for Literature; Dr. A.K.B. Pillai for Humanities; Community volunteer Sheela Sreekumar for Community Service; and Ginsmon Zacharia, for achievement in Media.

The 25th Jubilee Year Life Time Achievers are Shanti Bhavan Founder Dr. Abraham George, Industrialist and Founder & Chairman of Sami-Sabinsa Group Dr. Muhammed Majeed; Philanthropist Sreedhar Menon; Columbia University Professor P. Somasundaran and Entrepreneur Dilip Varghese.

The awardees will be honored at the Kerala Center’s 25th Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 4th starting at 6.30 p.m. at World’s Fair Marina in Flushing (Queens, New York City, address: 1 World’s Fair Marina, Flushing).

The chief guest is Consul General of India in New York Sandeep Chakravorty. The keynote speaker for the evening is Dr. Abraham George.

Kerala Center Founder and Executive Director E.M. Stephen said that the Center had recognized 140 achievers in the last 25 years who have continued to become bigger achievers and contributors to the society.

For more information: 516-358-2000 or e-mail at kc@keralacenterny.com