SDSU economics and Asian studies professor Murugappa “Madhu” Madhavan received the GKI Community Builder’s Prize as part of the opening ceremony for the Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace exhibit in SDSU Love Library.

Lawrence Edward Carter Sr., dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at King’s alma mater Morehouse College in Atlanta, presented Madhavan with the award on behalf of Morehouse College.

Madhavan at SDSU and abroad

Madhavan, professor emeritus, is the founding chairman of the SDSU Asian and Pacific studies department, and was director for both the Center for Research in Economic Development and the Center for Asian Studies. He was selected as the most influential professor of economics and Asian studies at SDSU.

In his distinguished career, he has received a record five Fulbright Awards. He has held visiting professor appointments at:

• Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
• National Institute of Bank Management, Poona
• Madras School of Economics, Chennai
• University Putra Malaysia

He was also a visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund.

Development economics and more

Madhavan has written and spoken extensively in the area of development economics and public finance. He chaired the United Nations Development Program mission to India to study the transfer of knowledge through expatriate nationals and was a member of the World Bank missions to Greece and Iraq during his tenure there.

Other career highlights

He has held positions in many civic organizations, including:

• Forum of the Arts, San Diego
• Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Asia – Pacific Islanders
• Other regional- and national-level civic and professional organizations

He founded the San Diego Indian American Society to establish the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture program in 1984. For more than 30 years, he has been associated with the World Affairs Council of San Diego and was elected to the chairmanship for two terms. He was president of Tamil Nadu Foundation, USA, and a founding member and advisor to the Mingei International Museum.