Roshan Lal Nauhria, an Indian from a small village in Punjab, has been awarded one of the highest civil honors in New Zealand -- member of the New Zealand Order of Merit ( NZOM) in the Queen's birthday Honours list announced on Monday by the Prime Minister's office.
The award, created in 1996, recognizes distinguished service in various fields and comprises of five levels. He is the only Indian to figure in this year's Honors list, although two other Indians have earlier received knighthoods, one of them being Anand Satyanand, who is now the Governor General of New Zealand and who would be presenting the award to Nauhria, who has been awarded this honour for services to business and community. The Award will be presented in September 2009.
The journey for Mr. Nauhria started in 1944 in Dharamkot, a small village near Moga in Punjab. After graduating in Electrical Engineering from BITS Pilani in 1970, he migrated to New Zealand in 1972 and started his own construction and property business in 1976.
He presently owns and runs a construction business (concrete and reinforcing steel) in Auckland, generating significant employment. He has been at the forefront of the Indian community in New Zealand and has done exemplary work as the founder President of the Bhartiya Mandir in Auckland, which he was instrumental in starting in 1986. He was also Vice President of Hare Krishna Mandir (ISKCON), Auckland and is now the President of United Indians, the largest apex body of all major Indian organizations in New Zealand having more than 23 Indian associations as its members.
Though Mr. Nauhria has been in New Zealand for over three decades but he has not forgotten his roots and has built a charitable hospital in his native village in Dharamkot, where he plans to live after retirement.
