It was an incredible year, said Sonal Shah, India Abroad Person of the Year 2003 and co-founder of Indicorps, who shared her experiences since she won the award.

Also See: Mohini Bhardwaj is the India Abroad Person of the Year 2004

Indicorps, founded in 2001 by Sonal and her siblings Roopal and Anand, provides young Indian Americans a chance to spend time in India doing community work at the grassroots level.

Photograph: Paresh Gandhi | Design: Rahil Shaikh