Former CEC S Y Quraishi awarded honorary fellowship in UK

Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has been awarded with an honorary fellowship by a UK student body to "celebrate and acknowledge his contributions in shaping the present and future of India".
Deputy High Commissioner of India Dr Virender Paul bestowed the Honorary Fellowship on Quraishi at an event organised by the 100-Foot Journey Club and the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU), UK, to discuss elections and electoral reforms in India at the India House on Friday night.
The citation said: "Dr Quraishi joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1971. After holding several strategic and key positions, he rose to become the 17th Chief Election Commission of India on July 30, 2010."

It further added that heis "well known in India and abroad as a development thinker and for his inclusive style of leadership and for bringing harmoniously together wide varieties of groups and institutions for achieving the common objectives of development".
The honorary fellowship has been awarded to Delhi-born Quraishi to "celebrate and acknowledge his contributions in shaping the present and future of India".
Honorary Fellowship of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union is the highest honour that can be bestowed onto a non-member by the Union and recognises the individual's significant and long lasting contributions to India, Indian Culture and/or the welfare of Indian students in the UK or elsewhere, NISAU said in a release.

"NISAU is delighted to confer our Honorary Fellowship on Dr S Y Quraishi for his contributions to the betterment of Indian society. Dr Quraishi is such an inspiration... We are humbled to associate NISAU with Dr Quraishi," Sanam Arora, NISAU President.

Priyanka Mohan, Executive Officer of NISAU said: "We are privileged to bestow the NISAU Honorary Fellowship on Dr S Y Quraishi for his exceptional contributions towards the advancement of the Indian society. Dr Quraishi is a fellow alumnus as well, given his association with Kings College London. We are so humbled and delighted."
The Hundred Foot Journey Club is a new initiative of the High Commission of India and the London School of Economics (LSE) South Asia Centre launched on May 10 this year. The club has been launched in view of the proximity of the High Commission of India and the LSE.

It will host academic events and other activities of mutual interest.
Quraishi also participated in an interactive discussion on 'Elections in the World's Largest Democracy' held during the award ceremony. Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Director of LSE South Asia Centre, led the conversation.
During the session, Quraishi described the role of the Election Commission of India, electoral process and procedures, mobilisation of human resources and security, success of the Electronic Voting Machine as well as challenges and constraints in elections in India through both analysis and interesting anecdotes.