Judge conferred with prestigious global award in India

HIGH COURT judge Frank Seepersad is expected to receive one of India’s highest honours conferred on people of Indian origin who live outside of that country. The awards ceremony is to be held later this month.

He is one of 27 distinguished members from various walks of life who will receive the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) in the sphere of community welfare/education.

He also joins Guyana’s president Irfaan Ali who will also receive the bi-annual award to be held in India.

In a release on Monday, on its website, the Indian Government’s Ministry of External Affairs said the award is presented by India's President as part of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention on non-resident Indians, people of Indian origin or an organisation/institution established and run by the non-resident Indians or people of Indian origin, in recognition of their outstanding achievements both in India and abroad.

The release said the jury of the award’s committee considered this year’s nominations and the 27 were unanimously selected for their excellence in the diaspora in various fields which includes science, technology, education, art and culture, medicine, information technology, community welfare, business, politics and media.

The PBSA was established in 2003 and, to date, 136 members of the diaspora have received it, including Laureates of Indian-origin.

Past awardees from TT are former prime ministers Basdeo Panday and Kamla Persad-Bissessar, former ministers Winston Dookeran and Lenny Saith, and the National Council for Indian Culture (NCIC).

Of Monday’s announcement by the Indian Government, Justice Seepersad said, “The bestowing of this prestigious award to the great grandchild of indentured labourers, is unexpected and welcomed.

“This honour is the result of the incredible opportunities which have been afforded to me in this land of my birth.

“Standing side-by-side with my brothers of every creed and race, I have benefited not only from my rich ancestral traditions but from the diversity of experiences and the free world-class education which I have received in this blessed country.

“Notwithstanding our challenges, this international recognition has reminded me that here in this Republic, with faith, honesty, discipline, tolerance and production all things are truly possible.”

Seepersad became a judge on April 2, 2012.

He was called to the bar in 1996 and was in active private practice from then until his appointment to the bench.

He was also a former president of the Assembly of Southern Lawyers and is a lay minister in the Presbyterian Church.