The Government of Gujarat will present ‘Gujarat Garima award’ for year 2009 to L&T Chairman & Managing Director Mr. A.M.Naik. Mr. Naik will be honored in a cultural program organized by the government of Gujarat on 12th January, 2009 evening in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat Garima Award is the highest Civilian Award given by Government of Gujarat to a person of Gujarati origin who has done outstanding performance in any field. It is awarded to a Gujarati staying inside Gujarat or outside Gujarat but has accomplished major achievements at State or National level and made Gujarat feel proud. The award was instituted by the Gujarat government in year 2004.

Chairman of Tata group Ratan Tata, chairman of Reliance Group Mukesh Ambani, noted knee specialist and Massachusetts resident Dr. Dinesh Patel, economist Jagdish Bhagwati and Anand Shah, founder of the voluntary organization Indicorps ware earlier recipients of this award.

Born on 9th June, 1942 at Surat in Gujarat, Mr. A.M. Naik, had his schooling in the small village of Gandevi taluka. Later, he acquired the degree of B.E. (Mechanical) from Birla Vishwakarma Mahavidyalaya affiliated to Sardar Patel University.

Joining the Larsen & Toubro Company as Junior Engineer in 1965, Mr. Naik rapidly climbed the positions of increasing responsibility as he moved from General Manager to Managing Director and CEO, culminating in his appointment as Chairman, L&T Company on 29th December, 2003. Mr. Naik has successfully led the Company through some of its most challenging times.

Mr. Naik infused a global perspective into L&T’s business orientation and his efforts have shown dramatic results. The international thrust under Mr. Naik has been spectacular breakthroughs into the markets of the developed nations such as the US, Canada, UK, Norway, South Africa and Australia.

Earlier in his tenure as Vice President, he kick-started the process of indigenizing the manufacture of critical equipment for process industries. This enabled L&T achieve major successes in the indigenization of critical technology in the defence and nuclear sectors. L&T is now closely associated with the nation’s defence establishment in the development of weapon and missile systems.

A concern for social and welfare issues complemented Mr. Naik’s keen business interests. He provided both monetary assistance and management expertise in setting up educational institutions and a hospital in Gujarat. He is now the Chairman & President of Kharel Education Society which runs a High School with the latest educational facilities.

Under Mr. Naik, L&T has brought healthcare to the underprivileged and has attached the priority to the mother and child care. Mr. Naik is associated with several Educational and Charitable Trusts to uplift the rural populace of India.

Mr. Naik was instrumental in setting up the Larsen & Toubro Public Charitable Trust. Its Skill Training Centres have given opportunities to school dropouts and unemployed youths and thereby converting the Skill Training Centres into the engines of social change.

He is also associated with number of National Councils and has been a member of a lot of Indian delegations to International bodies.

In addition to being the CMD on the L&T Group of Companies in India and abroad, Mr. Naik is also the Honorary Consul General for Denmark.

Mr. Naik was appointed as Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog by the Queen of Denmark, Her Majesty Queen Margarethe.

Mr. Naik is recipient of a number of prestigious awards:-

o ‘Business Leader of the Year 2008’ by the Economic Times.
o E&Y ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ in the professional category for 2008.
o He featured among “India’s 50 Most Powerful People” by the prestigious international publication “Business Week”.
o “Outstanding Chief Executive Award” in 2005 from the Indian Institution of Industrial Engineering (IIIE).
o “Management Man of the Year” Award in 2005 from Bombay Management Association.
o He received the prestigious JRD Tata “Corporate Leadership Award” from All India Management Association (AIMA), New Delhi in 2004.

Media reports on Mr. Naik name him as “India’s Mr. Infrastructure” who is “building the foundations of 21st Century India” through his ‘passion, integrity, pride in his company and his determination’.

By awarding a “Gujarat Garima Award, 2009” to the son of the soil, Government of Gujarat recognizes and honors Shri A.M. Naik, who by his extra-ordinary achievements, has made his family, his community and the State of Gujarat proud.