CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – APSU history professor, Dr. Somaditya Banerjee, recently accepted the Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award. The award is given to 25 people out of roughly 25 million people.

The Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Welfare Society of India presented Banerjee with the award at the House of Commons during their 38th International Congress. The event was held in London this past May. It spanned two days and commemorated Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday.

The award recognizes the notable service and contributions recipients have made to the NRI community.

“The non-resident Indians, at least a majority of them, are connected to India by traveling, by investment, by their families,” said Banerjee, who came to the U.S. from Calcutta in 2002. “They have basically carved out a space for India in the international world.”

Stories of Challenge, Acceptance

One of the highlights of the ceremony was a few honorees talking about the challenges they faced after they moved from India to new countries to pursue careers or education.

“The talked about how life was really tough for them when they started out in their trajectories of life and that didn’t stop them from moving forward,” Banerjee said. “They grappled in society and sometimes it was tough, but they moved through those times.

“Some of the bigger points of these stories was they would not be where they were without some nurturing in the host country.”

Banerjee has a similar story.

“When I first came to America (to pursue a physics master’s at the University of Arkansas in 2002), a family helped me,” he said. “They basically became my American mom and dad. They went out of their way to help me. They made me feel at home. We’re still in contact.”

About Dr Banerjee

Banerjee started his academic career in physics, earning a bachelor’s in physics from St. Xavier’s College in Calcutta, India. He then went on to earn three different Master’s degrees in physics, history of science and technology.

Banerjee joined the Austin Peay Department of History and Philosophy in 2017.

“Making a career switch from physics to history has transformed me as an individual and a leader in my profession,” Banerjee said.