|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Raveen Arora of Irving was one of the nominees for |
|
the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, and this achievement truly merits |
|
special recognition; and |
|
WHEREAS, Established by Alfred Nobel in 1895, the Nobel Peace |
|
Prize is presented each year to a person, persons, or organization |
|
that has worked for the promotion of peace and fraternity between |
|
nations; the first prize was awarded in 1901, and in 2021, there |
|
were 329 candidates from around the globe; and |
|
WHEREAS, Raveen Arora was born in a refugee camp in the Punjab |
|
region of India in 1948, and he grew up poor in the city of Kolkata; |
|
around the age of seven, he met Mother Teresa when she visited his |
|
school, and at age 11, he met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; after |
|
earning degrees in accounting, finance, and business management in |
|
India, he worked as a chartered accountant while also serving as an |
|
officer of the Lions Club and giving generously of his time to a |
|
number of charitable organizations, including the Missionaries of |
|
Charity founded by Mother Teresa; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 1981, Mr. Arora moved to Los Angeles and started |
|
a successful financial consultancy, and after retiring in 2002, he |
|
relocated to Tempe, Arizona, where he became involved in many |
|
philanthropic endeavors; he created India Plaza to rejuvenate a |
|
depressed part of the city and showcase a variety of Indian |
|
businesses, and he also served on the boards of numerous |
|
organizations, including United Food Bank, the Tempe Chamber of |
|
Commerce, the Tempe Community Council, Project Humanities at |
|
Arizona State University, and Sister Cities International; |
|
moreover, he spent countless hours distributing bottled water and |
|
meals to the homeless as well as providing financial assistance to |
|
local college students and recently arrived immigrants; he also |
|
traveled to more than 90 countries to deliver humanitarian aid; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 2021, Mr. Arora moved to Irving to be close to his |
|
daughter and his grandchildren, and he continues to serve others |
|
through his Think Human global initiative, a grassroots |
|
organization which he established in 2016 to promote empathy, |
|
diversity, and inclusion; he was nominated for the Nobel Peace |
|
Prize by Satish Lakhotia, the founder of an Indian service |
|
organization, and the nomination has received nearly 70 |
|
endorsements; and |
|
WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Raveen Arora has donated much |
|
of his time and energy to carrying out good works in his community |
|
and around the world, and in so doing, he has earned the high esteem |
|
of innumerable people; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate Raveen Arora |
|
on his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize and extend to him |
|
sincere best wishes for continued success with his important work; |
|
and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for Mr. Arora as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
House of Representatives. |
|
|
Johnson of Dallas |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 149 was adopted by the House on |
|
October 18, 2021, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|