Indian-American Krishna Vavilala Awarded the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

Indian-American Krishna Vavilala receives the US Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing to his community and the country.

US President Joe Biden has awarded Indian-American and longtime Houstonian Krishna Vavilala with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement (PLA) Award, the nation’s highest honor for his contributions to his community and the country at large. The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards, led by AmeriCorps is an annual event to honor citizens exhibiting outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities.

AmeriCorps is an agency of the United States government, engaging more than five million Americans in service through various volunteer work programs in many sectors. At a glittering ceremony last, Vavilala, a Houstonian for the past four decades, was praised for his lifetime service and achievements by calling him a change maker and global humanitarian.

AmeriCorps certifier Dr. Sonia R White presented the official Presidential Award to Vavilala containing a framed proclamation from the White House, signed by President Biden, and the medallion. Vavilala attended the red-carpet event with his wife, Prabhat Lakshmi, two daughters, Monica and Amanda, and four grandchildren.

In the citation of the congressional certificate of recognition, 18th District Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the keynote speaker, noted that Vavilala's dedication to serving the nation deserves respect, admiration, and commendation from the United States Congress. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner stated in his congratulatory note that the award identifies selfless individuals working behind the scenes without seeking the limelight for their efforts. The message included that Vavilala's kindness and generosity deserve this award. Houston city is pleased to honor and thank him for his dedication to the betterment of this world.

Vavilala is originally from Andhra Pradesh and is a retired Electrical Engineer. Currently, he is the founder and Chairman of the Foundation for Indian Studies (FIS), a 16-year-old non-profit organization whose major project, the Indo-American Oral History Project, won the Mary Fay Barnes Award for Excellence.

Vavilala expressed that he is deeply touched by this unexpected honor which is truly a recognition of the contributions of the Indians in Houston. Vavilala established the India Studies program at the University of Houston in 2006. Furthermore, he initiated the India Studies program at Texas Southern University earlier this year.

Vavilala is a strong believer in promoting peace and racial harmony and has participated in various Martin Luther King Jr parades, dressed as Mahatma Gandhi, a trend he started in 2006 to bring Indian and black communities together and to encourage the message of peace and nonviolence which those leaders have followed. FIS remains remembering Gandhi and Dr. King’s legacies of non-violence and peaceful co-existence.

As a child, Vavilala was influenced by Gandhi in person in his native town, Rajahmundry, and later, as an immigrant, he proposed and served as the project chair of the Gandhi statue project in Herman Park. Additionally, he has served as a President of the American Society of Indian Engineers, Telugu Cultural Association, Houston, and Telugu Literary and Cultural Association.

Vavilala has received several awards and accolades from various organizations, such as the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, the Indo-American Press Club, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the India Culture Centre. Sponsored by Comerica, PLA awards honourees included the Muhamad Ali family, State Representative Shawn Thierry, Grammy-winning gospel artist Brian Courtney Wilson, Radio One VP Pamels McKay, Global Humanitarian Ricky Anderson, CEO of MLK Grande Parade Houston Charles Stamps, Global Humanitarian Clarence KD McNair, CEO of Nation Waste, Inc. Maria Rios.

The PLA Awards have become widely recognized as an immense honor and highly anticipated annual event in America. Dr. White highlighted that the selection committee of Sonia R White Enterprises, L.L.C. chose the honourees based on citizens showcasing exemplary character and unparalleled leadership in the community. Every honouree has committed to over 4000 community service hours and displays outstanding character, worth ethic, and dedication to their communities.