India Abroad Person Of The Year 2012 M120 INDIA ABROAD, JUNE 2013
CELEBRATING
10 YEARS
‘He spent a lifetime making the world a better place’ D
r Sambhu Banik is a happy man. And it’s not just Maryland Assemblywoman Aruna Miller on the many lives because he is receiving the India Abroad Award for that Sambhu Banik has touched. Life Time Service to the Community 2012. Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengali Nobel Prize-winning poet, once said, ‘Man’s abiding happiness is not in getting institution, Bowie State University, where he has a anything but in giving himself up to what is greater than long history of endorsing racial equality and himself, to ideas which are larger than his individual life, female empowerment while teaching students the idea of his country, of humanity, of God.’ how to solve mental health challenges. As a memDr Banik has indeed given of himself to causes greater ber of the staff, he was well regarded by students than himself and has tirelessly spent a lifetime making and staff as a trailblazer for human progress. He the world a better place. received many accolades and was voted by the stuAmong his many accomplishments as a public servant, dents as one of the university’s best professors. he has had an extensive career in the field of psychology Throughout his career, he has also been deterand mental health while serving an incredible number of mined to uphold the image and integrity of his posts where he provided services to those with mental home country, India, and has been instrumental and physical challenges. in promoting India-US relations. In 1971, he joined the Mental Health Administration He was the founder and president of Prabashi, where he served the residents of the District of Columbia Inc, an organization created to promote better in various capacities, including a position as the chief, understanding and a better relationship among South Community Mental Health Center to the Clinical the people of India and USA. He was involved as Administrator. the president of the India Cultural Coordinating In 1990, Dr Banik, was given the honor of being the Committee, US-Asia Foundation, Association of first Indian American appointed by President George H COURTESY: ARUNA MILLER Indians in America, Indian American Forum for W Bush to serve as the executive director, President’s Sambhu Banik, center, with Aruna Miller, right. Political Education, Karuna Charities and a host of Committee on People with Mental Retardation, where he championed the rights of the mentally retarded and dis- lic action. In fact, he has devoted over 20 years to the other organizations to promote closer relationship between advancement of the Thakur Hari Prasad Institute for the India and the US. abled individuals. In addition to this, he has provided training and seminars One of his defining moments in this position was the pas- mentally handicapped in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. In 2011, I had the pleasure of visiting THPI. I was so to institutions in India on various aspects of disability and sage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, a monumental achievement that protects Americans with disabil- struck by the level of nurturing, commitment, and dedica- mental retardation and mental illness over the years as well tion the staff provided to the residents. Like Dr Banik, they as gave lectures to various parts of the US on India’s crafts, ities from discrimination. In his current positions as president, Banik and are committed to working hard for our most vulnerable arts, music, dances and cuisines. It is due to his influence in Indian affairs that he was Associates, and adjunct professor, Bowie State and Union members and speak for those with no voice. Through his work in mental and developmental disabili- invited by the Government of India to visit Bhopal after the Universities, he continues to provide support for the community by offering guidance for graduate students in psy- ties, Dr Banik reminds us that being mentally and physi- Bhopal Gas disaster to provide much needed mental chology and consultation on various aspects of mental cally handicapped does not mean that you are any different health-related services to the families of Bhopal Gas vichealth to the community and a large number of organiza- than your peers. With guiding hands each and every human tims. Recently, he actively participated on the grassroots level being that has been given the gift of life is capable of great tions and courts. More remarkable than these professional lifetime accom- things and can reach their full potential with the support of for the passage of the historic US-India Civilian Nuclear agreement. plishments, it is the compassionate and artistic man with their community. As an Indian-American woman, I am indebted to him for In addition to improving the quality of life for the disthe generous soul that is larger than life. When Dr Banik walks into a room, the air crackles, the abled, Dr Banik been a pioneer in the field of human rights, closing the divide between men and women as well as room’s energy is instantly turbo charged and the feeling of breaching divisive barriers to racial and social equality, and improving the health of people in India and the United well-being magically touches everyone. He is generous with reminding us what it means to be male and female in a way States. We owe a great deal to those individuals that are larger his praise, is engaging, empathetic, and full of life. If you that embraces understanding and equality. He is the only Indian American who was appointed by the than life. I am moved by leaders like Sambhu Banik who want to an instant mood boost, the best remedy is a few Governor of Maryland and the Montgomery County refuse to accept injustice as a norm and that remind us moments with him. Not only has Dr Banik demonstrated the ingenuity to find Executive as Commissioner of both the State’s and County’s every day that each of us is capable of making a difference solutions to the most pressing mental and physical health Human Rights Commissions. He was elected as Education in our community and that we can lay the foundation for a issues, but the compassion to identify with those that are and Outreach Committee chairman of the Human Rights better society. Commission to provide communitywide education on the suffering from them the most. Aruna Miller is the first Indian-American woman legislaHis commitment to mental health and social justice has importance of human rights in all affairs. Since 1972, he served as a professor at a historically black tor in the Maryland General Assembly. inspired a generation of people to take up the call for pub-
SPONSORED BY
HOSPITALITY SPONSORS
EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR