New York State Bar Association Honors Dr. Parveen Chopra with the distinguished Haywood Burns Memorial Award



The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), with over 76,000 members, is the largest voluntary association of attorneys in the United States founded in 1876. This year has decided to confer Dr. Parveen Chopra with the Prestigious Haywood Burns Memorial Award for his outstanding work in civil and Human Rights. Of major significance, Dr. Chopra is the first South Asian honored in the history of the One Hundred Thirty Three year old organization.



The award was presented by the Committee on Civil Rights Chair Fernando Bohorquez Esq. (Baker Hosteler llp) at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan, as part of the Association's 132nd Annual Meeting. Every year only one person is chosen for this award based on outstanding contributions of an American Civil rights leader who had significantly impacted civil rights in America. Previous award winners of the Award include Honorable United States Federal Judge Cornelius V. Blackshear; Honorable Justice Ellen M. Yacknin; Honorable Pam Badoria Jackman Brown.



Dr. Chopra has a long history of community service including previously serving as the first Asian Commissioner of Human Rights for 20 years and the first Indian American appointed to Public Office on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. He also served as Commissioner of Planning in Nassau County for six years improving the quality of life of 1.3 million Americans. He currently serves on the Board of the Bhartya Vidhya Bhavan, UNYFCE, and the NYCLU in Nassau. He has previously been honored with Awards of distinction from the One Hundred Black Men USA, Martin Luther King Jr. Award and the highly distinguished Ellis Island Medal of Honor a distinction he shares with former Presidents, several noble laureates and other distinguished Americans. His contributions to American life have been considered as outstanding and also recognized by the US Congress and Senate. Dr. Chopra has been a life time educator and Professor in Graduate Schools of Business and holds a PhD, MBA, LLB and 4 other Masters degrees.



W. Haywood Burns, was a longtime civil rights advocate who worked with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., He graduated from Harvard College with honors and from Yale University Law School in 1966. Mr. Burns joined the New York law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, and later became law clerk to Judge Constance Baker Motley of United States District Court. From there, he became counsel to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc and where he served as general counsel to Martin Luther King Jr.'s Poor People's Campaign in 1968.



Five leaders who shared their views on Dr. Chopra's community activism included NYSBA Chairperson of Civil Rights Mr. Fernando Bohorquez who said Dr. Chopra has a long standing in Asian community and American public life in human rights and civil rights in America. His work with so many diverse organizations in protecting the rights of common man is very admirable. Padam Shri Dr. P. Jayaraman emphasized Dr. Chopra's work as President of the Federation of Indian Associations, as National Secretary of National Federation of Indian Associations in organizing India Day Parade, functions in various cities of America, liason with the White House and many American leaders and particularly with the Bhavan USA where he is a great asset. Rev. Reginald Tuggle, a national African American leader said that Dr. Chopra's work for the Dr. Martin Luther King Executive Committee where he serves as a treasurer has helped it tremendously in raising enormous amounts of scholarship funds and also realizing Dr. King's dreams in rooting out discrimination through Human Rights Commission, Civil Liberties Board and several national organizations. Rabbi Perl who was Commissioner of Human Rights, National Executive Director of National Coalition for Furtherance of Jewish Education and Chhabad of Mineola, New York mentioned in his speech that under Dr. Chopra's leadership the Commission investigated cases of discrimination and made determinations based on race, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical handicap and helped countless people to get their jobs back or appropriate settlements in regards to compensation and pension benefits. Under his leadership of the Commission they set up policies to fight discrimination in housing as well as public conveniences. Dr. Chopra lead the team to prepare rules of procedure for discrimination in housing to be followed by the judges and also lead the team to interview and select Housing Court Judges that will reduce discrimination even further in these areas in the future. Mr. Giri Chhabra, President of Hindu Center in New York said his leadership to Indian-American community and particularly to Hindu Center for the last few years has been exemplary and outstanding.



Dignitaries who attended the function included Honorable Judge Frank Schellace of Supreme Court; Hon. Judge Sharon Stern Gertsman of Supreme Court, Hon. Thomas Levin, Hon. Judge Elizabeth Dalal Pessala from Long Island, Hon. Judge Helena Heath-Roland from Albany City Court, Hon. Senator Toby Stavisky, Hon. Senator Hiram Monserrate, Hon. Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Hon. Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, Hon. Assemblywoman Vivian Cook, Hon. Assemblyman Michael Den Dekker, Hon. Assemblyman Mark Weprin, Hon. Assemblyman Jose Peralta, Hon. Assemblywoman Meng, Hon. Councilman and Chair of Finance David Weprin from New York City, Hon. Councilman John Liu, Hon. Councilwoman Gail Bewer, Hon. Councilman Thomas White, Hon. Councilwoman Leslie Gross from Town of North Hempstead, Mr. Steven Richman – General Counsel NYC Board of Elections, Ms. Nara Rampilla – Special Counsel to the United Nations, Hon. Padam Shree Dr. P. Jayaraman founder of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan USA, Dr. A.M. Gondane Deputy Council General in New York, Rev. Reginald Tuggle African American leader of Council of Churches, Mr. Julius Pearse founder President of Dr. Martin Luther King Foundation, Rabbi Anchelle Perl a national Jewish leader who has his own national radio and television programs, Rabbi Moses Birnbaum of Kew Gardens synagogue, Mr. Tony Patino chairperson of Coalition of Association of Hispanic Americans, Ms. Petsy Chen President of Taiwanese Center, Mr. Giri Chhabra President Hindu Center and Temple, Mr. Kailash Sharma President of Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation, Brahma Kumari Anjani from Global Harmony House, Mr. Darshan Bagga chairperson of Sikh Forum and Senior representatives from the United States Attorney's Office in Manhattan, Queens and Kings County as well as District Attorney's Offices from New York City, Long Island, Albany, Buffalo and other cities.



Photo Caption: Mr. Samir Chopra, Mrs. Usha Chopra, Fernando Bohroquez (NYSBA Chair of Civil Rights), Dr. Parveen Chopra (2009 Haywood Burns Memorial Honoree)