On Saturday 30th April, Probini held its 11th annual luncheon and award presentation on the occasion of Nababarsha (Bengali New Year) at Bombay Sizzler, in Bellerose, Queens.

After Probini founder Prof Sachi G Dastidar opened the proceedings, Udayan Chattopadhyay, a Joint Secretary, welcomed the guests, who had traveled from as far as Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey as well as New York. Shuvo Dastidar, Joint Secretary, reviewed activities over the past year to support 17 educational institutions across India and Bangladesh, while Joint Secretary Gerardo Espinal spoke about the awards and citations. Dr Shefali Dastidar thanked the many volunteers and friends of Probini for their support. Dr Kusumita Pedersen recited a poem by Sri Chinmoy. Jay Hyman presented an overview of the Probini financials.

Special awards were presented to Prof. Sreenath Srinivasan, of Columbia University and founder of SAJA (South Asian Journalists Association); Prof Gerard Weber, a long friend of Probini and social activist; Dr Uma Mysorekar, President, Hindu Temple Society and eminent physician; and New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula. Dr Calvin O. Butts, III, President, State University of New York, Old Westbury & Pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, and a well-known personality of Civil Rights Movement was the Chief Guest of the event..

In accepting his award, Professor Srinivasan praised Professor Dastidar for his role in highlighting the plight of minorities in Bangladesh and India, and for educating the poor and the orphaned, and encouraged guests to become more involved in media. Dr Mysorekar commended the role of Probini in building bridges between America and South Asia. The Hon. Chivukula urged all native-born, new citizens and immigrants to be active in their communities and toward betterment of their neighborhoods. Reverend Butts praised Indian and South Asian immigrants for their role in weaving the fabric of New York City and America.

Some other individuals who spoke at the gathering include Probini Committee Members Monideepa Bose, Dr. Shefali S. Dastidar, Dilip Chakrabarty; Democratic Party leaders Lois Marbach and Ana Levine; civic leaders Dr. Samir Datta, Raj and Prema Prasad, Khourshedul Islam, Pijush Dey, Prof. Eloise Linger, Tara Knowland, Malini Kumar, Raman Kumar, T.J. Morris, Srikant Mookherjee, Kamal Chakrabarty, Suprabhat Sengupta and NYC Council candidate Dilip Nath.

On Saturday 30th April, Probini held its 11th annual luncheon and award presentation on the occasion of Nababarsha (Bengali New Year) at Bombay Sizzler, in Bellerose, Queens.