Our Bureau
Washington
Virginia State Senate has passed a resolution commending the work of an Indian American journalist T Vishnudatta Jayaraman for his “dedication to journalism and foreign policy.”
Suhas Subramanyam, a Democratic candidate for US Congress from Virginia’s 10th Congressional district and Indian American State Senator, introduced the resolution on March 4. The Virginia State Senate unanimously passed the resolution with a voice vote on March 8. Introducing Jayaraman in the Senate gallery, Subramanyam referred to him “as the recipient of the prestigious Ashoka Award for social change”, while commending his dedication to journalism and foreign policy.
Subramanyam said Jayaraman on January 27 “received a Distinguished Service Award ‘for advancing media coverage for the Indian diaspora and fostering US-India relations’ from the then Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Sandhu and Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and President of the Senate, Winsome Sears.
“Part of a democracy and I think probably the very first part is that the media be free. And we are so glad that you are there to help remind us of that. Hence, for all the accolades that you’ve received, we can congratulate you. And thank you for coming. Senators, let us give him the warm welcome of our Senate,” Sears said.
On February 28, Kannan Srinivasan, the first Indian-American immigrant elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, also presented a commendation to Jayaraman on the House Floor for having received the Distinguished Service Award.
Jayaraman has an undergraduate degree from Loyola College, Chennai. He has a Masters Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, and a PhD in International Administration and the United Nations from the University of Madras. He also has a Masters degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University, New Jersey.
