Mumbai: Music director Jatin Pandit has been honored with the 5th Annual FOSAAC Friends of South-Asian American Communities Award, for outstanding achievement in music & for composing the album America Mein India, a sensational hit in USA.
This year’s theme was celebrating the friendship between United States & India. The award was given at the International Ballroom, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California USA. This ballroom is the home of the Annual Golden Globe Awards for Hollywood. FOSAAC incidentally, has raised $1 million for Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Campaign.
Pandit said, "I feel highly elated receiving such a prestigious award amongst such an august gathering. Being the first Indian composer to receive this award, I am touched that my lifetime work is now getting recognized on an International platform, thanks to FOSAAC." Pandit also regaled the audience with the song Chand Sifarish from Fanaa to loud applause.
The Kalpana Chawla Award for contribution to Society went to Maneka Gandhi, Anne Archer, for her role in Fatal Attraction was the recipient of the Mother Teresa Award for Outstanding Contribution to Society, Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson and many other voices on the Simpsons, was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Award for Humanitarian of the Year, The Young and the Restless actress Michelle Stafford, received the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Award for Outstanding Leadership, DNC Vice-Chair Mike Honda was awarded the Dalip Singh Saund Award for his Outstanding Political Contribution to Indo-American Society and Imran Khan, cricketer and philanthropist received the Mother Teresa award for Outstanding Contribution to Society.
The chief guests were Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa & Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca. Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby was another Guest of the evening
A major highlight of the evening was the Oscar-style presentation of all awards with its glamorous visuals & laser show. The entertainment portion of the night’s festivities included performances by acts from both American and Indian Communities: musical performances by Jierra Clark, Michael Duff, and various musical selections played by violinist Andrea Hammond. In addition there were performances by the Fire Groove troupe of Hollywood, and songs & dances by Indian performers Noopur Dance Academy, and Rasalila.
