AKKA World Kannada Conference 2006


WKC 2006 Home \| Why Attend \| Committees \| Accommodation \| Contact Us \|

Chief Guests
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Governor,MD
	As Maryland’s 60th and dynamic Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. is the highest elected state official of Maryland. On November 5, 2002, lifelong Marylander Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., was elected Maryland's 60th governor, the first Republican to hold the office in 36 years. Since assuming office, Governor Ehrlich has fought for the Five Pillars of his Administration: Fiscal Responsibility, Education, Health & the Environment, Public Safety, and Commerce. These pillars are the priorities of every Maryland family: financial security, schools that work, quality healthcare, safer neighborhoods, and economic opportunity. Governor Ehrlich has balanced the state budget every year since assuming office, resolved $3.4 billion in deficits, and rejected $1.1 billion in tax increases. He has fully-funded the "Thornton Act," by providing record increases in education funding for students in low-income neighborhoods. Governor Ehrlich established the Governor's Office of Homeland Security, making Maryland one the first states in the nation with a cabinet-level agency dedicated to securing the homeland. He also launched "Project RESTART," to reduce repeat offenses and end the "revolving door" cycle leading back to prison. Governor Ehrlich is very much pro-business. Since he assumed office, Maryland's workforce has grown by nearly 60,000 jobs and the State's unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the nation. He has strengthened the State's commitment to hi-tech jobs, reformed Maryland's minority business laws to empower minority entrepreneurs, and won passage of an historic transportation plan to improve and expand roads and transit systems across Maryland. Robert Ehrlich, the only son of Nancy and Robert Sr., was born on November 25, 1957 in Arbutus, Maryland. He received degrees from Princeton University (1979) and Wake Forest University Law School (1982) and served as a member of the House of Delegates (1987-95) and the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2003). He and his wife, Kendel, have two sons, Drew Robert, age 5, and Joshua Taylor, born in March 2004.
Aris Melissaratos Secretary Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
	Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. named Aris Melissaratos to the position of Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) in January 2003. As Secretary, Mr. Melissaratos directs the work of DBED in its mission to stimulate and strengthen Maryland’s economy, and promote Maryland as a prime location for tourism, film production and advancement of the arts. His priorities include technology, manufacturing, and minority business development. With nearly 40 years experience in business leadership, Mr. Melissaratos has earned the reputation as a well-respected national business visionary and corporate executive. Mr. Melissaratos is a former Westinghouse Electronics Systems Executive. Mr. Melissaratos holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, and a Master’s Degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University. In addition, he has completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development (PMD-40). He also has completed the course work for a Doctorate (A.B.D.) in International Politics at the Catholic University of America. Born in 1943 in Romania, Mr. Melissaratos immigrated to the United States from Greece at the age of 13. Since then, he has been a resident of Maryland and makes his home in Linthicum.
H.D.Kumarswamy Chief Minister of Karnataka
	Mr. Kumarswamy is the 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka, the eight largest state in India. Major industries in his state include Electronics, Computer Engineering, Aeronatutics, Machine Tools, Aluminum and Steel. Popularly known as "KumarAnna" (Kumar, the name and anna in Kannada means elder brother) among his friends and followers was a noted film producer, distributor and exhibitor in the kannada film industry. He released his first film in 2000. He was elected the president of the Karnataka Cinema Theatre Owners Association in 2002, a position he still holds. His formal political career began in 1994. He came into the limelight in politics by winning the Kanakapura parliamentary seat in 1996. In the run-up to the April-May 2004 assembly elections, he toured Karnataka to revive moribund JD-S units by infusing young blood and regrouping hundreds of splintered party cadres. As one of the youngest and dynamic Chief Ministers of Karanataka Mr.Kumaraswamy has promoted growth of business in his home state. He is forefront in promoting the Bangalore Brand. He represents Ramanagaram constituency in the State Legislative Assembly.Born in 1959, Mr. Kumaraswamy holds a Bachelor Of Science degree. He and his wife Anita have one son Nikhil.
B.S.Yediyurappa Dy,Chief Minister of Karnataka
	B.S.Yediyurappa is the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, the eighth largest state in India. He is a graduate in the faculty of arts. He mentions that he is an agriculturist by profession. His stint in the public office began in 1975 when he was elected as Councilor to the Town Municipality, Shikaripura. Later he was elected as the President of Shikaripura Town Municipality. He was imprisoned during the emergency. He has been a member of Eighth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Legislative Assembly (lower house) of Karnataka. He is married to Smt. Mythradevi. Yediyurappa has two sons and three daughters
Ronen Sen Indian Ambassador to United States of America
	Mr. Sen was born on 9 April, 1944. After graduation, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in July 1966. From May 1968 to July 1984, he served in Indian Missions / Posts in Moscow, San Francisco and in Dhaka and in the Ministry of External Affairs, and had also been Secretary to the Atomic Energy Commission of India. Mr. Sen was Ambassador to Mexico from September 1991 to August 1992; Ambassador to the Russian Federation from October 1992 to October 1998; Ambassador to Germany from October 1998 to May 2002; and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from May 2002 to April 2004. Mr. Sen participated in summit meetings in the United Nations, Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement, Six Nation Five Continent Peace Initiative, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, IAEA, G-15 and other forums and also in over 160 bilateral summit meetings. Mr. Sen is married and the couple have one daughter. Mr. Sen assumed charge as Ambassador of India to the United States of America in August 2004.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Art of Living Foundation
	Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - "Born in 1956 in Papanasam, India, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar studied with many renowned spiritual masters and became a scholar of Vedic Literature. By the age of seventeen, he obtained an Advanced Degree in Modern Physics, and later received an Honorary Doctorate from Kuvempu University, Karnataka, India. In 1982, His Holiness founded the Art of Living Foundation, which is now the world’s largest volunteer-based educational and humanitarian organization. In 1997, His Holiness founded the International Association for Human Values (IAHV), which to date has development projects in 25,300 villages, bringing self-reliance and sustainability to millions of people. His message of compassion, commitment to society, and a universal understanding of life, has resounded in the lives of millions worldwide. Through the regeneration of human values, he seeks global peace and development by inspiring individuals towards self awareness joyful living and selfless service.