Multiple Indian American Organizations Gather to Pay Special Tribute

PRESS RELEASE                                                                    New York City

Multiple Indian American Organizations Gather to Pay Special Tribute

Dr. Najma Sultana

The leaders from several Indian American organizations came together in true secular spirit of unity and harmony, at a memorial meeting to pay tribute and celebrate the life of Dr. Najma Sultana on Sunday, December 8, 2013.  The event organized jointly by HCA (Hyderabad Cultural Association) and GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) was uniquely a soul touching experience to the 100 or so attendees.

 Dr. Najma Sultana, a respected and compassionate leader of several Indian American organizations in New York City passed away on November 27^th, 2013. She was a recipient of many honors for her service to India, Indian American community and humanity. She was appreciated and recognized by prominent people and organizations in USA. She received awards and recognition by many organizations like AAPI, AFMI, INOC, HCA, FIA, NFIA, GOPIO and more. She was one of the Founding Life Members of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), and most recently had been serving as co-chair of GOPIO Cultural Council. She was one of the first women to head American Federation of Muslims from India (AFMI). She played an important role in forming and running many organizations like Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) and Hyderabad Cultural Association (HCA).  Dr. Sultana led a delegation to Gujarat to help the victims of the riots in 2002, and always promoted and practiced Secularism.

Between the 20 speakers who took the stand, they described Dr. Najma Sultana as a vibrant, compassionate, beautiful, generous, passionate, caring, tireless, humanist and secularist leader who made a tremendous difference in her short span of life. Mr. Quddus Mohammed, President of the Hyderabadi Cultural Association has requested its board to establish an education scholarship fund and urged the audience to  pledge their support as a tribute to Dr. Najma Sultana.

Multiple Indian American community groups came together to convey sympathy to her family on this great loss at her funeral service and Namaz Janaza held at Bayshore Mosque, and burial at Washington Memorial Park Cemetery on Friday, November 29, 2013.