Germany today conferred its Cross of the Order of Merit on three Indians in recognition of their contribution to Indo-German relations.
German ambassador to India, Michael Steiner, conferred the prestigious 'Bundesverdienstkreuz' on Anand Singh Bawa, Kalyan Sachdev and Prof. Syed Hasnain.
"This evening it is a sort of a diplomatic triple. Never before have three eminent Indians received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in a row," Steiner said.
Through the award, Germany acknowledges the personal commitment of the recipients and their outstanding contributions to Indo-German relations.
Bawa, the secretary of the Federation of Indo-German Societies in India (FIGS), has been a driving force behind numerous FIGS projects, such as translation of German books for the Indian market.
"Until this very day, he is the heart and soul of FIGS in India, promoting tirelessly the Indo-German ties," Steiner said.
Sachdev is the medical director and founder of a private hospital in Gurgaon who has been a liaison doctor for the German Embassy since 1975. His hospital also becomes a temporary home for German patients and also gives practical training to young doctors from Germany.
Hasnain is a renowned microbiologist especially acclaimed for his research on tuberculosis. He is also a recipient of one of Germany's most important science awards -- the Alexander von Humboldt Research Prize. He is also the first Indian to have been honoured with the Robert Koch Fellowship.
He paved the way for the office of the German Research Foundation in India, which is one of the key forums for scientific cooperation between Germany and India, officials said.
"During your stay at the Robert Koch-Institute in Berlin and the University of Wurzburg, you produced remarkable research results in microbiology. As diseases spread globally, constant scientific exchange -- so well exemplified by you -- is crucial," Steiner added.
