The Association of Indians in America, fondly known as AIA, the oldest Indian Organization in USA, held its 24th National Honor Awards Banquet on Saturday, May 31, 2003 at the O'Hare Hyatt in Chicago. The event returned to Chicago after a ten year hiatus with a perfect weather for the evening to celebrate an elegant ceremony as an elite affair worthy of the Pulitzers and Laureates.

The distinguished recipients of the awards for 2003 were Dr. Sam Pitroda, Dr. Ralph Nicholas, Dr. Mansukh Warn and The Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans.

The Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans was honored for its role, since its founding 10 years ago, in promoting and strengthening relations between the world's oldest and largest democracies, giving voice to the hopes and aspirations of over two million Americans of Indian origin, and shaping the debate on issues of concern and importance to the Indian-American community.

Dr. Sam Pitroda was honored for his life-time achievements in the advancement of information and telecommunications operations in India, addressing issues of global digital divide, founding several high technology companies in US, Europe and India and serving on several non-profit foundations and commissions. Mr. Pitroda came to US in 1964 and after having served with several corporations here, went back to serve India as an Advisor to the Prime Minister of India.

Prof. Ralph W. Nichols, President of the American Institute of Indian Studies and Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, for his research in rural India and the many aspects of village life and culture: political and economic relations, kinship, and religious practices and festivals. The American Institute of Indian Studies, where Dr. Nichols has spent many years, is consortium of 52 American colleges and universities that have programs of teaching and research about India, and has sent over 3,000 scholars from US to India since its founding in 1962. It is also home to the renowned Center for Arts and Archeology, which has published ten volumes of the Encyclopedia of Indian Temple Architecture.

Dr. Mansukh C. Wani, a Principal Scientist at the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina was honored for his life long search for the alleviation of human suffering as a result unraveling the riddle of plant anti-tumor agents. The work of Dr. Wani and his colleagues was critical in the initial isolation and structure elucidation of several life saving medicines like Taxol for treatment of cancer.