PROFILE :

Mr. Prasad Thotakura is a versatile community leader par excellence and has been serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Indian community for over 15 years.  He is currently working as Chief Operating Officer, ekNazar.com, (www.eknazar.com) Dallas, Texas, USA. Prior to this he was marketing manager with Mobil Oil Corporation.

He is a naturalized US citizen having been born in Gannavaram (near Vijayawada city), Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India.  He migrated to USA in 1986, and holds two Masters degrees one from India and the other from US.  He loves Indian Arts, Culture, Heritage, Traditions, and Telugu Language & Literature.

Mr. Thotakura is an outstanding, dynamic corporate and community leader, a mentor and a role model serving the Indian American community at-large in Dallas / Fort Worth metro area for the last 15 years.  He has many exemplary civic leadership and community service achievements impacting the ever growing, active and highly respected Indian community of USA. 

He is a highly dedicated leader with a strong desire to serve with zeal and enthusiasm.  His concern for community welfare is unsurpassed and as a person whom the community always seeks in the “hour-of-need” has earned an outstanding appreciation and respect among all cross sections of the Indian American community.  His impeccable contribution to the community is - special efforts in serving the needy, irrespective of the denominations including the senior citizens, women, and youth.  He has been a crusader in a true sense and his contribution towards a strong, unified and prosperous Asian-Indian community will be remembered for a long time to come.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS :
  • Prasad was accorded a grand “home coming” and recognition of his decades of meritorious community services by his home town of Gannavaram (Krishna District, AP).  The Gannavaram Gram Panchayat has conferred on him the title of “Seva Rathna” award in a very warm civic reception & felicitation by all political and community leaders in January, 2008.
  • Prasad was lauded by International Telugu Cultural & Literary Association (ITCLA) during the “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas” celebrations and presented with “Outstanding Community Service Award” by well known movie actor Padma Bhushan Dr. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, January, 2008.
  • Prasad was bestowed a prestigious “Special Recognition” award by the Art of Living Foundation, USA in 2007 for his exceptional community service.  
  • Prasad was felicitated with “International Community Service Award” by Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, Honorable Minister of Tourism and Development, Andhra Pradesh, at annual awards function of the International Telugu Cultural and Literary Association, Hyderabad in 2007 
  • Prasad was bestowed with “Seva Nidhi” award by Dr. C. Narayana Reddy at Vamsee Arts International function, Hyderabad in 2004
  • Prasad was felicitated with “Ugadi Puraskar” by the Telugu Association of North Texas (TANTEX) at their annual event in 2004 for his exemplary leadership skills and outstanding contributions to the community.
  • Prasad was awarded “National Community Service Award” by Telugu Association of North America (TANA) at Telugu National conference in Philadelphia in 2001.
  • Prasad received a “Special Appreciation Award” from CARE an international organization for his leadership role as Fundraising Chairman for raising more than $500,000 for Gujarat Earthquake Relief in 2001.
  • Prasad was bestowed a prestigious “Outstanding Community Service” award by Honorable. Governor of Texas State Governor Rick Perry at Dallas Asian Chamber of Commerce awards banquet in 2001.
  • Prasad was felicitated with the “Best NRI Award” for his outstanding leadership and dedicated community service by three Central Cabinet Ministers of Government of India namely Mr. Satyabrata Mookherjee, Hon. Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers; Mr. Ch. Vidyasagara Rao, Hon. Minister of State for Home and Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Hon. Cabinet Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers on April 7th, 2002 at FICCI Auditorium, New Delhi.  These prestigious annual National/International awards were presented by Delhi Telugu Academy, New Delhi, India.

Prasad loves Indian arts, culture, heritage, traditions, Telugu language & literature and works to promote the same in the USA.  His schedule is always busy with several social and community service projects on hand all the time.

Prasad’s fine arts and classical music interests resulted in him being the main contact person to several accomplished artistes from India for their performances in USA. 

  • He has arranged very successful shows such as:
      • Vempati Chinna Satyam’s Kuchipudi dance ballets,
      • Dr. Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna’s Karnatic music concerts,
      • Dr. Shobha Raju’s Annamacharya Samkeertana concert, and
  • Film music concerts with:
      • S.P. Balasubramanyam, P. Suseela, S. Janaki, Chitra, Sunitha, Mani Sharma, DeviSri Prasad, G. Anand etc. 
  • Literary meets with famous poets like:
      • “Sirivennela” Seetarama Sastry, Gollapudi Maruthi Rao, Suddala Ashok Teja, Medasani Mohan, Garikepati Narasimha Rao, Narala Rama Reddy, Madugula Nagaphani Sarma etc.

Prasad has always been invited by the American Press and TV media to express opinion on behalf of the Indian American community on major issues. 

Prasad Thotakura chaired and hosted many banquets and community get together meetings with the mainstream policy makers like US Congress members, Senators, educationalists, industrialists etc.
 
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