In the history of Southern Asia Division, only two people were given “Award of Excellence” by General Conference. During the year 1982, Dr. M E Cherian and in the year 2009, Dr. M S Jeremiah. This award of excellence was conferred on Dr. M S Jeremiah during the Education Summit for leaders in the education field in SUD, which was held at Surat in the month of January, 2009.
The Education Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, upon the recommendation of the Board of Education of Southern Asia Division, honored Dr. M. S. Jeremiah, the President & CEO of Metas Adventist College in Surat with the Award of Excellence. The Excellence Award is the highest form of recognition an individual could receive because it comes from its own peers and is in recognition of exceptional and outstanding performance in a specific area of Education.
The award was presented by Dr. Garland Dulan, Director of Education, General Conference and Dr. John M. Fowler, Associate Director of Education, General Conference. This award was given to Dr. Jeremiah for his exceptionally distinguished achievements and outstanding contributions to the Adventist society of Southern Asia Division that illustrate and sustain the ideals and beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist church and contribute greatly to its goals. Dr. Jeremiah had given Adventist education in Southern Asia a new meaning of academic excellence, country-wide service, personal, professional and spiritual commitment, self-reliance and upward mobility. Dr. M S Jeremiah was commended for envisaging and establishing New Colleges at Ranchi and Nuzvid also.
--T. P. Kurian
