Sunita Williams to be honoured during Gujarat trip

Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams will be conferred with the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vishwa Pratiba Award on September 21 during her visit to Gujarat.

Sunita will undertake a week-long visit to the state and will be honoured with the award for her unique achievement in space travel wherein she had spent 195 days. The annual award will be given by the Vishwa Gujarati Samaj, a city-based organisation, formed to bring Gujaratis living across the globe under one umbrella.

The award, instituted in 2001, carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakh, a citation and a memento, Krishnakant Vakharia, president of the

samaj, told media persons in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

The award had earlier been conferred upon former RBI Governor I J Patel and technocrat Sam Pitroda.

Sunita, a cousin of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya, is also likely to visit her father's native village in Mehsana district during her scheduled visit beginning on September 20.

Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishor Sharma is hosting a dinner in her honour in Ahmedabad on September 23. Chief Minister Narendra Modi is likely to preside over a function organised by the Gujarat University where Sunita will be felicitated for her achievements as an astronaut, sources said.