BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE
Cover photo: Dr Indrakrishnan (center) with House Speaker Jon Burns (right) and Rep. Matt Reeves. All photos courtesy Georgia General Assembly website.
Atlanta, GA, March 4, 2024: The Georgia Legislative Assembly passed a resolution declaring February 20, 2024, as Dr. Indran B. Indrakrishnan Day in Georgia, in recognition of his illustrious service to the community and his efforts to “advance initiatives positively impacting the State of Georgia.”
At the Georgia state assembly, Speaker Jon Burns invited House Representative Matt Reeves to introduce Dr. Indrakrishnan and the bipartisan resolution. Representative Matt Reeves, in his remarks, lauded Dr. Indrakrishnan for his service to Gwinnett County and the state in various aspects beyond his medical practice, including education, philanthropy, and advocacy. He explained Dr. Indrakrishnan’s role in many state and national not-for-profit organizations. He showcased the bipartisan resolution co-signed by both Republicans and Democrats to the House amid resounding applause from the representatives on the floor and the public in the gallery.
House Speaker Jon Burns, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, legislators Nabilah Islam, Shawn Still, Sharon Cooper, Scott Hilton, Kay Kirkpatrick, David Clark, Soo Hong, Pedro “Pete” Martin, Reynaldo “Rey” Martinez, Farooq Mughal, Sam Park, Ruwa Romman, Karlton Howard, Carter Barrett, Emory Dunahoo, and many more met with Dr. Indrakrishnan afterward to extend their congratulations.
Retired House Representative Brooks Coleman had passed a similar bipartisan resolution declaring February 14th as Indrakrishnan’s day in 2018, and at that time, Dr. Indrakrishnan was the first American of Indian descent to receive the distinguished honor. Six years later, Dr. Indrakrishnan remains the only American of Indian descent to receive such an honor for the second time.
Dr. Indran B. Indrakrishnan is an adjunct professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and operates his private Gastroenterology practice in Georgia. He serves on the Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce, overseeing Georgia’s rural healthcare. Furthermore, he is on the board of directors of Rainbow Village, a charitable organization in Georgia dedicated to caring for homeless mothers with children. Dr. Indrakrishnan also lends his support to Meals by Grace/Fill Ministries, a non-profit organization providing meals to hungry children in Georgia, and Third Eye Dancers, another non-profit organization raising funds for underprivileged children through cultural dance programs. He also serves on the boards of the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, Fight Colorectal Cancer, Greater Atlanta Tamil Sangam, as well as in his 14 active trustee roles at the Hindu Temple of Atlanta.
The resolution marked Dr. Indrakrishnan as “part of a new wave of immigration that has been enriching America by giving back to communities, pioneering new paths for civic engagement, and offering a fresh perspective on the meaning of traditional family values,” and “as the first physician of Asian heritage to be appointed by any Governor of Georgia to serve on the Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce, where he dedicates his time to supporting the development of medical education programs and initiatives to increase the number of physicians and healthcare practitioners practicing in underserved rural areas.”
The resolution acknowledged Dr. Indrakrishnan’s recognition “from local, national, and international organizations for his service and achievements, including the Tamil American Pioneer Award from FeTNA, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Tamil Information Center, Public Service Award from ATMA,” and more, stating that he “has served as the president and a member of the board of the Georgia Gastroenterologic and Endoscopic Society and the Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage and is personally committed to the mission to save lives and help thousands of patients.”
