At this year’s Lunar New Year reception in New York City, Mittal Institute’s Advisory Council Member Dr. Mukesh Prasad ’93 received a citation from Mayor Eric Adams for his accomplishments in the healthcare sector. “Mukesh Prasad helped Harvard dream of a South Asia Institute. We are honored to have him with us at the Mittal Institute and congratulate him on this well-deserved honor,” says Hitesh Hathi, Executive Director of the Mittal Institute.
The citation reads:
Whereas, As a city built by immigrants, our diversity is our strength, with New Yorkers hailing from every corner of the map and collectively speaking more than 800 languages. Over time, their contributions have transformed into a proud and powerful legacy that has strengthened our vibrant communities and fortified our bright future. In that spirit, it gives me great pleasure to welcome members of New York’s dynamic Asian community to this year’s Lunar New Year reception.
(l to r) Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City; Mukesh Prasad, LMSAI Advisory Council Member
Whereas, As we gather to celebrate the year 4722, I would like to recognize the accomplishments of Dr. Mukesh Prasad, an American of Indian descent and a leader in our vital health care sector. A graduate of Harvard College and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Prasad is an associate professor of clinical otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, where he also practices. He has been recognized previously for his role in caring for first responders and was named an Honorary Member of both the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD), one of a handful of surgeons to receive shields from both departments. In 2020, when the five boroughs became the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, Dr. Prasad provided vital guidance as an advisor for the New York City COVID Taskforce. Guided by his commitment to civic engagement and empowering others, he supports a wide range of professional and non-profit organizations, including serving as director of Harvard’s South Asía Institute Advisory Council and South Asian Alumni Alliance Board, the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as a special advisor to the United States Department of Commerce. Dr. Prasad is also the co-founder of Innova Capital Partners, which invests heavily in alternative energy, telecommunications, health care, and financial technology. Dr. Prasad has brought tremendous benefit to the five boroughs, and I applaud all he has accomplished.
Whereas, This evening’s event is an excellent occasion for New Yorkers of all backgrounds to recognize the positive impact of Asian Americans in our international metropolis and stand in solidarity with our Asian sisters and brothers. I offer to all of today’s honorees my best wishes for a joyous Lunar New Year, as well as further success and prosperity in the Year of the Wood Dragon.
Now therefore, I, Eric Adams, Mayor of the City of New York, on Thursday, February 22, 2024, do hereby confer this citation on: Dr. Mukesh Prasad
Signed: Eric Adams, Mayor
About Mukesh Prasad: Mukesh Prasad graduated in 1993 from Harvard College, with honors in Government, and a focus on development policy of economic development. Since 2008, he has been an Associate Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology at the Weill Cornell Medical College, and he is the Senior Counselor and Past Chair, Weill Cornell General Faculty Council. He has also served on the Harvard Schools and Scholarships Committee both in Baltimore and New York, as a Director on the Harvard Alumni Association Board of Directors (2001-2004 and 2006-2009), and as Mittal Institute’s Advisory Council Member since 2015.