NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, music composer Ilaiyaraaja and top businessman Vindi Banga were conferred the Padma Bhushan awards by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Elated for being selected for the prestigious Padma Bhushan awards by the Indian government, noted hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal on Tuesday said it was the recognition of his services in working towards strengthening of Indo-US relationship for the past several decades.
Chatwal said the prayer service aims to garner blessings for Clinton.
Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal has entered into a global agreement with Wyndham Hotel Groups under which the latter will have exclusive rights to franchise and manage the Chatwal Group's Dream and Night boutique brands globally.
Deputy leader of the opposition in Parliament Gopinath Munde told rediff.com he would seek the help of Right to Information Act to find out who was responsible for according the Padma Bhushan Award to non resident Indian hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal.
Diplomatic and political observers in Washington said that the controversy had now moved beyond simply targeting Chatwal and a deliberate effort to embarrass Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his Principal Secretary T K A Nair by not just the saffron lobby but by vested interests within the Congress.
As the efforts to stop the auction of Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings failed, businessman Sant Singh Chatwal asserted that he would make a bid for "sacred pieces of Indian history". Fearing that the controversy over the auction has boosted the prices, the high-profile hotelier said he would like other community leaders to take part in the bidding.
New York businessman Sant Singh Chatwal received his Padma award from President Pratibha Patil at a colourful ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Chatwal's name was read out after 19 distinguished figures had been conferred the Padma awards.
Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal on Thursday pleaded guilty at a court in New York to violating federal election laws by using straw donors to secretly funnel money to political campaigns and will pay a million dollars to the US as part of his plea agreement.
The Delhi high court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the Centre's decision to confer Padma Bhushan on NRI hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal. A bench headed by acting Chief Justice Madan B Lokur, after going through the original documents placed before it by Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra, found no substance in the allegation that proper procedure was not followed in the case of Chatwal.
With controversy erupting over Padma Bhushan for Non Resident Indian hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, the government stepped in to clear the air saying 'due diligence' was done before selection and that the Central Bureau of Investigation had closed three cases of financial irregularities against him.
New York-based Chatwal Hotels and Resorts is planning to invest Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) to open 52 hotels in India in the next five years. The company has tied up with international hospitality major Wyndham Hotels for the expansion of its hotel brands Dream and Night.
Flamboyant and controversial New York hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, a major political contributor and fundraiser for the Clintons and several high profile Democratic politicians, is elated that he is in line to receive a Padma Bhushan in this year's Republic Day honours list, and rubbished concerns that he is undeserving of the award.
Over 1,200 guests paid from $1,000 to $2,300 apiece to attend the event at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers.
The four recommendations came from Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs,Vayalar Ravi, member of US Congress Joseph Crowley and Dalis Adler, staff associate, sub-committee on the Middle East and South Asia under the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Looking aggressively at the Indian market for expansion, the Vikram Chatwal Hotels, a division of Hampshire Hotels and Resorts, plans to open "Dream brand hotels" in various cities in the country, including Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi with a Rs 5,000-crore (Rs 50 billion) investment.
According to Rashtrapati Bhawan sources though controversial New York based businessman, Sant Singh Chatwal wanted to recieve the Padma award from President Pratibha Patil on March 31, mandarins in the home ministry did not agree to this. "This part of the information is not correct," said an official of the media unit of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Noted journalists Vir Sanghvi and Pritish Nandy have revealed that they will be jointly filing a Right To Information application with the Central Information Commission (CIC) with regard to this year's Padma Award list and the questionable inclusion of Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal in it.
'I don't care about the BJP,' says controversial New York hotelier Sant Chatwal, who has been awarded the Padma Bhushan. 'One thousand percent, I am going to accept the award.'
Singh hosted a lunch in honour of Clinton, who is in New Delhi on a private visit.
Six American Indian were awarded the Eliis Island Medal of Honour. The Award celebrates the immigrant experience in the United States.
Against the backdrop of US-based hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal getting a Padma Bhushan, the Congress on Tuesday said these awards should be given to people who enhance its prestige and not to those with a "taint".
NRI hotel entrepreneur Sant Singh Chatwal, founder-president of the $750 million Manhattan-based Hampshire Hotels and Resorts, is all set to invest $100 million in India to develop five luxury 'boutique hotels' at prime locations.
According to a top level source in government, New York based hotelier and controversial businessman, Sant Singh Chatwal's name has been proposed for the Padma Bhushan award this year. His name has been sent to the Emabssy of India in Washington for confirmation which is a mandatory requirement, sources told rediff.com
Denouncing as 'cowardly' and 'heartless acts' the deadly terror strikes in Mumbai, the Indian community in the US on Wednesday said it was an attack on the pluralistic fabric of India and sought strong measures to fight terrorism.
President of India Pratibha Patil will be conferring the Padma Awards to the selected recipients on March 31 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan -- a senior official from the president's office confirmed this.
Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal avoided jail time and was sentenced to three years probation and a $500,000 fine on charges of illegally donating thousands of dollars to political campaigns.
US President Barack Obama says he is eagerly awaiting to host Manmohan Singh for the first state visit next month and that he considers India and the Prime Minister as "part of his family".
The book claims that donations made by hotelier Sant Chatwa to the Clinton Foundation was instrumental in Hillary to vote in favour of the India-US civil nuclear deal in 2008.
New book claims Amar Singh gave between 20 and 100 per cent of his entire net worth to the Clinton Foundation.
The senator is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday.
'He brings fresh ideas and leadership.' 'Modi is bold, doesn't care about criticism.' Members of the Madison Square Garden audience praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech.
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