Flora MacDonald awarded the "Padma Shri Award"
High Commission of India
Globe and Mail Online edition
Ottawa
No.OTT/POL/462/1/01 - January 29, 2004
PRESS RELEASE
The High Commission of India in Ottawa has great pleasure in announcing that the Government of India has decided to confer the "Padma Shri Award" to the Honourable Flora MacDonald, former Member of Parliament, federal Minister, and life-long educationist and social worker. The "Padma Awards" are announced on the eve of India??s Republic Day (January 26th) every year. These are among the highest civilian awards in India, and are conferred for distinguished service and excellence in different fields of endeavour.
Flora MacDonald is on the Board of Directors and the Advisory Council of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI), a bilateral India-Canada education and research institute set up in 1968. The aim of the Institute is to support and promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of one country amongst the scholars and students of the other. Flora MacDonald has contributed actively to the progress and growth of the SICI over the years, and continues to provide valuable advice as the Chairman of the Advisory Council.
During the course of her career, Flora MacDonald has traveled frequently to India. Currently, her main involvement in India centers around the following:
- Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute
- Future Generations = An American NGO which provides training in community development (health, literacy, conservation, micro credit) with projects in Arunachal Pradesh & Uttaranchal.
- Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, with headquarters in New Delhi.
- HelpAge India (till recently Flora MacDonald was Chairperson of HelpAge International).
Flora MacDonald has been awarded the "Padma Shri" on the recommendation of the High Commission of India in Ottawa.
