Name of an Indian non-governmental diasporic award (Hindi: "Jewel of India", transliterated both as Hind Rattan and Hind Ratan) given yearly to about 30 members of the worldwide Indian diaspora (comprising the categories of both Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin) by the NRI Welfare Society of India (see below), at a ceremony in connection with the yearly "International Congress of Non Resident Indians" (held since 1982) on and around the Indian Republic Day (January 26) in New Delhi; the number of awardees varies, and can sporadically be 50 or even more. That, though awarded by a private organisation, the Hind Rattan can lay claim to prestigiousness, is shown by direct or indirect association of prominent personalities — including present and past members of the Indian Government — not only with the award ceremony, but also with the advisory board of the Society itself; among those associated with the board or present or past award ceremonies are the former Prime Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral, ministers such as K.C. Pant and Oscar Fernandes, and former Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy. Ambassadors of countries with a high number of diasporic Indians are also regular atendees addressing the participants of the Congress at which the awards are presented.
However, the criteria based on which individual Hind Rattan awards are bestowed are unclear: potential awardees are nominated inter alia by a process of peer recommendation, but how and why the final awardees are chosen is not known, as the award committee does not publish its reasons. Moreover, the award comes only with this honour, no financial benefits; to receive it, recipients have to bear their own expenses for coming to New Delhi and attending the Congress mentioned above (see section on Controversial Issues).
At the same Congress, nine selected persons (mostly previous recipients of the Hind Rattan award) are usually presented with the Nav Rattan award (Hindi: "Nine Jewels", also transliterated as Nav Ratan, Navratan, Navrattan etc.). This award is named after the Navaratnas.
A further, very selectively presented, award is the Sword of Honour.
Read more about Hind Rattan: NRI Welfare Society of India, Prominent Recipients
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