Prince of Arcot receives IAA Award for meritorious service

CHENNAI: The Indo-Australian Association (IAA) was founded in 1984 by a group of like-minded, distinguished citizens with strong ties to Australia.

The association has welcomed numerous delegations of guests from Australia, including ministers, poets, authors, and cricketers, and has held numerous “Talk Your Way to Australia” oratorical contests.

The IAA trust is also building a smart classroom block for Kelambakkam government school this year.

The flagship event has traditionally been the Indo-Australian Award for Meritorious Service, which has been bestowed to many notable stalwarts, male, and female, from Australia or India who have contributed excellent efforts to strengthening relations between the two nations over the years.

This year, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prince of Arcot, received the IAA Award for Meritorious Service in the presence of the Australian Consul General to South India, Sara Kirliew, for his long-term association to improve communal peace and harmony and patronage of international relations.

The occasion was attended by a large number of consuls and honorary consul generals.

Dr Susan Verghese, President of the Indo-Australian Association, gave a warm welcome address, which was followed by the Consul General’s speech and the reading of the citation by Leena Ashok, Secretary of the Association.