Illinois (US) Community Service Award to Dr Austin Prabhu
Very recently, the Council of the Village of Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois in the United States at it’s 9th April meeting presided by Mayor Anthony T. Calderone took pride in dedicating a portion of Dunlop between York and Polk in honor of Dr. Austin DSouza Prabhu, a Mangalore born multifaceted personality who is living in Forest Park, Illinois for the past 37 years by naming a portion of Dunlop between York and Polk as “Dr. Austin Prabhu Way”. The dedication and unveiling program will take place on May 26th, 2018.
Now, one more feather has been added to the cap of Dr Austin D’Souza Prabhu, who is at present in Mangaluru on a vacation. This time it is an honour in the form of the Community Service Award at the 2018 Secretary of State’s Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Jesse White, Secretary of the State of Illinois in his letter dtd. 25th April 2018 addressed to Dr Austin states that this is a time to pay tribute to the ambitious ventures, personal triumphs and accomplishments of Asian-Americans in Illinois. He also writes that they would like to recognize the contributions of Dr Austin and to celebrate his success. The event will be held on May 15, at Illinois.
Dr Austn’s life has been focused on civic-mindedness and academic goals, whereby he earned his PhD at the University of Illinois and has dedicated 39 years to Lionism, serving at the Club, District, State and International levels.
Dr Austin’s dedication to the Lions Club has seen him become District Governor in 2004, and 2012 and he is the first person of Indian origin to become the Governor of District 1A (Mother District of Lionism – Chicago. Dr Austin’s commitment to the principles of Lionism and to the service of those less fortunate has been his driving force. Striving for his cause, Dr Austin’s sector realized the third rank nationwide for total collections for the Sight First II Campaign.
Dr Austin’s Lions Committee service is too vast to list and his awards are many, including Lifetime Community Service Award from President George W. Bush and Best Humanitarian Couple awarded to him and his wife – Terry who is also a PDG of lions dist. 1A(Chicago).
Dr Austin also served two terms as President of India Catholic Association of American, one time Secretary of the Federation of Indian Associations in Mid-America, Treasurer of the Federation of Indo-American Christian Associations of North America, Director of New Republic of India, Advisor of International Biographical Center (Cambridge, England), editor and publisher of three local news magazines in India, among others. His biography extends beyond the aforementioned and has been highlighted in national and international publications;
Dr Austin is a writer, actor, public speaker and publisher. At present, he is editing and publishing ‘Veez Konkani’ weekly an e-magazine from Chicago. He has given lectures at numerous universities, forums, and conventions over the globe.
Currently, he is a Commissioner on the Forest Park Diversity Commission.
