For Dr Kaushal Bhardwaj, Mohini's father, it was a proud as well as an emotional moment.

Also See: Mohini Bhardwaj is the India Abroad Person of the Year 2004

In a voice reflecting the import of the occasion, he detailed the travails his daughter went through on the way to realising her dream and how proud she was today of her achievement. "I am proud to call myself Mohini's father," he said to ovation.

He also thanked the community for conferring the recognition on his daughter.

Photograph: Paresh Gandhi | Design: Rahil Shaikh