Wayne State University Graduate School Dean and Professor of Pediatrics Ambika Mathur, Ph.D., was among 18 inspirational women honored during Miindia.com's first Michigan Indian Women's Expo.

Dr. Mathur received the Hall of Fame Award during the June 14 expo at Farmington Hills Manor in recognition of her achievements in academia and the community.

"I am truly honored and touched to be recognized by my community for my work within the community and in academia. It is especially rewarding because I want to encourage women not just from the Indian community but from all groups to achieve leadership positions in all careers," Dr. Mathur said. "If I can influence even a few girls and women to develop into future leaders I will consider myself to have made an impact.

She added that "it is important for men to appreciate the contribution that women are making. I have been very fortunate to have had my parents believing that all their children are equal, regardless of gender; my husband, Dr. Deepak Kamat, who pushes me to achieve more; and my kids, Aarti and Amol Kamat, who make sure that family comes first for me. I have been blessed to have had the best mentors, both men and women, who inspired me."

Miindia.com is a community website providing news and events of interest to Indians and Indian-Americans living in metropolitan Detroit.