Indian-American linguist wins US academic award

Washington, April 6 (IANS) An Indian American professor, Dr. Mohammad Jahangeer Warsi, has been selected as a 2011-2012 recipient of the James E. McLeod Faculty Recognition Award by the students of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Previously called the Faculty Awards, this year the ArtSci Council decided to rename the event in honour of one of their biggest supporters James E. McLeod.

Viewed as a very prestigious honour in academics, the award is given to those who have positively and profoundly influenced the educational experiences to the students at Washington University.

Warsi, a gold medallist linguist from Aligarh Muslim University and a West Bengal Academy award holder, will receive the honour April 16 at a Recognition Ceremony hosted by the School Council, the undergraduate organization and executive governing body for the College of Arts & Sciences.

He is also the recipient of "unsung Hero" award from the University of California at Berkeley in 2005, and a recipient of UP Hindi-Urdu Literary Award 2011.

Congratulating Warsi, Robert E Hegel, Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures said: "This is indeed exciting news--congratulations! This is a wonderful honour and strong testament to your efforts in the classroom".

Laura Olivier, a senior student at Washington University said: "I am ever so grateful to Warsi for all the work he has put into my development as a student of both linguistics and Indian culture".