CHICAGO (May 3, 2018) – Gov. Bruce Rauner presented Indian Community Outreach (ICO) Award for significant community contributions and proclaimed the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month.
“Asian Pacific Americans have made invaluable contributions to our state and our nation,” Rauner said. “Their determination and perseverance have led to successes in so many areas: business, technology, education, medicine, government, and nonprofits. Yet they put family first and always work to create opportunities for future generations.”
Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), the Illinois Bicentennial Commission and other distinguished guests gathered at the James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago today to recognize ICO and 5 other Asian organizations for their ongoing economic and cultural contributions and leadership. Notably, ICO is the first and only Indian American Organization to receive this honor by Gov. Rauner as part of the bicentennial celebration of Illinois.
Award was accepted ICO Founder and Chairman Krishna Bansal along with ICO Board Members Chirag Jani, Dharmisth Patel, Dinkar Karumuri, Vasavi Chakka, Vinod Vasisth, Viral Shah and ICO Advisory Council members Nimish Jani, Vandana Jhingan with lead volunteer Meghna Bansal.
“It’s indeed an honor to receive this prestigious award and be part of Illinois Bi-Centennial Celebration,” said Bansal. “ICO with the help of its board members and volunteers has been working very diligently to achieve its mission and is very proud of its achievements in a short span of time.”
Nimish Jani, a prominent Indian American community leader and member of ICO Advisory Council applauded ICO’s effort to educate, integrate & empower the India American and immigrant communities. Jani works closely with Gov. Rauner’s office, is an elected Trustee of Schaumburg Township and is the outreach coordinator for Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider.
“Come and celebrate the India Day – the largest Indian American Festival of Midwest, with us on August 12th at Knoch Park in Naperville and experience the food, vibrancy, culture, and music,” said Viral Shah
The event also included performances by SoriBeat, Xiao Chen, and Mer and featured Chicago’s ABC 7 Anchor Judy Hsu as the Mistress of Ceremonies.
ICO is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization initiated in 2013 by Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel with Krishna Bansal to help foster connections with residents of varied and diverse cultural backgrounds. ICO’s mission is to embrace, preserve and promote the cultural heritage and contributions of Indian Americans while educating them to get involved in America’s growth. ICO’s efforts in different Programs / Engagements include ‘Conversations’ for enhancing Civic Participation and Social Awareness; ‘Lotus Scholarship & Awards’ to recognize students and leaders of Indian Origin in every field; Indian businesses networking and education forums; India Day – Showcasing and Celebrating Cultures; contributing in various charity initiatives and participation in local events to represent Indian American Community. In just over four years of its inception, ICO has numerous accomplishments and is geared up to serve the Midwestern United States. For more information please visit www.indiancommunityoutreach.org.