New York, Sep 9 (IANS) Tennis star Leander Paes, journalist M.J. Akbar, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and actor Sunil Dutt (posthumously) have been named winners of the Pride of India Award by a non-resident Indian organisation in the US.

"This year's Pride of India awardees have rendered exceptional services in building a modern, progressive and secular India and every Indian is proud of them," said Akram Syed, president of the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI) in a statement.

"The award to the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir is to recognise his commitment to secularism and pluralism," he said.

The awards would be presented during the AFMI's annual convention to be held Sep 16 at the Marriot Hotel and Convention Center in Uniondale here.

The theme of this year's convention is Education in Emerging India: Ensuring Progress and Prosperity for All.

The event will also feature prominent NRIs and Indian personalities such as Kumar Malvalli, co-founder of Brocade Communications, film personality Sanjay Khan and A.K. Saxena, CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The AFMI is a North America-based organisation, dedicated to socio-economic and educational development of Muslims and other underprivileged masses in India.