Federation of Indian Associations honors media personality Aroon Purie in Manhattan

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The Federation of Indian Associations – NYNJCT, held a private honoring ceremony for Padma Bhushan Aroon Purie Dec. 3, 2021, in midtown Manhattan.

The event was attended by among others, India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal, a press release from FIA said.

Purie’s stellar career in the media industry began when he started in 1970 at Thomson Press as Production Controller. He went on to start the India Today Group with an eponymous magazine in 1975.

Today the India Today Group is India’s most diversified media group with 32 magazines, 7 radio stations, 4 TV channels, 1 newspaper, multiple web and mobile portals, a leading classical music label, and a book publishing arm.

The Group has a national presence with five facilities across India.

Purie’s numerous recognitions include the Padma Bhushan in 2001, the third-highest civilian award of the government of India, for his contribution to Indian journalism; the B.D. Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism (1988);  Journalist of the Year 1990′ award by the Indian Federation of Small and Medium Newspapers; the G.K. Reddy Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism, among others.

He has been associated with the Council of Management, Audit Bureau of Circulations (Chairman, 2000–2001). He is on the Executive Committee of The Editors’ Guild of India, Council of Management All India Management Association (Special Invitee). He was Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry National Committee on Media (2001–2002),  chairman of FIPP (Federation of International Periodicals and Publications), and serving Board member of the Global Editors Network since its creation in April 2011.
Consul General Jaiswal highlighted the contributions of media in keeping overseas Indians in touch with the workings of the country and offered his support on initiatives that strengthen  U.S. India bilateral relations. He also emphasized his undeterred support to the community and extensive efforts that the Consulate has undertaken since the pandemic impact to serve the community which includes the consulate being open 7 days a week.
Chairman of FIA Ankur Vaidya expressed his gratitude to Mr. Purie for allowing FIA the opportunity to celebrate his distinguished career which has brought a trendsetting change in the Indian media industry. Vaidya also gave an account of the FIA’s initiatives over the last two years of the pandemic.
Anil Bansal, the outgoing president of FIA thanked Purie for keeping the Indians living abroad in touch with the Motherland through his publications.

Padma Shri recipient and chairman of TV Asia H.R. Shah thanked Purie for his friendship and welcomed the use of his venue of TV Asia Studios in Manhattan for the reception.

Purie thanked the FIA and TV Asia for the honor and putting together the private ceremony which he said was special for him since it was the first one by a reputed community organization in the U.S. He expressed his keen interest in engaging with the  diaspora’s activities and in taking more interest in community initiated engagements.

The FIA team consisting of Vaidya, Bansal, Alok Kumar, Parveen Bansal, Saurin Parikh, and the FIA women wing leaders Rohi Singh, Anu Singh, Mitali Chikhalkar and Sapna Patel expressed their admiration and congratulated Purie on having been recognized and awarded.  Prominent community leaders and members included Prem Bhandari, Albert Jasani, Kamlesh Mehta, Shyamal Modi, and Piraan Erachshaw.