Honoured for work on Indo-Japanese ties

Honoured for work on Indo-Japanese ties

ranganathan indo japanese Chennai: M.R. Ranganathan, an engineer by profession who helps to teach Japanese language, has won Japan's highest award for promoting better ties between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Ranganathan, 62 and founder of the Asia Bunka Kaikan Dosokai scheme of the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship, is to be honoured with the coveted 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays' award.

The award is the highest honour Japan confers on foreigners for promoting bilateral ties and culture.

Ranganathan also heads the marketing arm of SRM Technologies, a Chennai-based IT company.

The Consul General of Japan Yoshiaki Kodaki will present the award to Ranganathan on behalf of the Japanese emperor.

"I am honoured and proud that I have helped in strengthening our country's relationship with Japan", Ranganathan said here.

Dosokai, a voluntary organisation, has 500 members who help teach Japanese language to Indians who need to interact with Japanese in the technology industry. The group also holds cultural activities.

M R Ranganathan, chairman, ABK-AOTS Dosokai, Tamilnadu centre, has been conferred with 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays' for his work on Indo- Japanese bilateral relations.
Yoshiaki Kodaki, Consul General of Japan, who presented the award in Chennai on Wednesday, said the award was given to Ranganathan for his devotion and commitment in the promotion of Japanese language and culture in India.

Ranganathan began his career as an engineer and worked in Chennai Port Trust till 1992. He was instrumental in setting up ABK - AOTS DOSOKAI, Tamilnadu centre, where 500 students were studying Japanese.

The Consul General said, 'Ranganathan was one among the 34 awardees from all over the world to receive such a prestigious decoration conferred by the Emperor of Japan'.

L Vasudev, chairman of Indian Airlines, said Ranganathan was invited to meet the Prime Minister of Japan when the latter visited India. He said he got the privilege to meet him with only eight other Indians.

Toshihiko Suzuki, president, Hiyoshi Corporation, and Nagarajan, executive director, Ashok Leyland, were among those present on the occasion.

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