Dr Ajay Lodha joined the list of few elites when he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor last week.

Ellis Island medals is awarded by National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations to Americans who “embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity.”

Dr Lodha, a graduate of RNT Medical College, Udaipur completed his residency at Flushing Hospital, New York. Dr. Ajay Lodha is President-Elect of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) , the largest ethnic medical society, representing the interest of over 100,000 Indian American physicians.

“I am humbled for being chosen to receive this prestigious award,” Dr. Lodha said soon after receiving the award. “I feel there are a lot more Indians here in the United States, who are doing outstanding job and make us feel very proud. This award is for all of them.”

Dr Lodha has made the city proud with this achievement. In 2008, Dr. Lodha was part of a coalition that built a state-of-the-art 11 bed Surgical Intensive Care Unit for Government Hospital located in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India – free care is given to all the patients.