R S Sundar Russia has awarded ‘Order of Friendship’ to Director of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (NPP) construction site Ramayah Shanmuga Sundar. It reflects the growing strategic partnership between Delhi and Moscow. The NPP Kudankulam is under construction in India with Russian assistance in accordance with Intergovernmental agreement of 1988. The first 1000 Megawatt Unit of the plant was connected to national power grid in 2013. The second Unit is scheduled for launch in 2016.
The following individuals were awarded the Order of Friendship:
Frank De Winne, ESA Astronaut and Head of the European Astronaut Centre (Belgium)
André Kuipers, ESA Astronaut (Netherlands)
Jacques Rogge, 8th President of the International Olympic Committee (Belgium)
Valery Leontiev, Pop singer
David Blatt, basketball coach (Israel/USA)
Sopubek Begaliev, Kyrgyz politician (Kyrgyzstan)
Lydia T. Black, a historian and anthropologist in the field of Russian America[8] (USA)
George Blake, double agent (UK)
Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada
Van Cliburn, renowned pianist (USA)
Patricia Cloherty, entrepreneur and businesswoman (USA)
Dimitris Christofias, President of Cyprus
Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska
Maurice Druon, writer (France)
Yuli Gusman, film director (Azerbaijan)
Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International (Japan)
Raymond E. Johnson, founder of the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis (USA)
Akhmad Kadyrov, President of Chechnya
Prince Michael of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and descendant of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia; a qualified interpreter of Russian (UK)
Vakhtang Kikabidze, singer and actor (the award was rejected by Kikabidze in August 2008) (Georgia)
Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor of Singapore[9]
Antonio Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio to Russia (2002–2010) for his contribution to the development of Russian-Vatican relations[10] (Vatican)
John Middleton-Tidwell, a historian of Russian-American studies[8] (USA)
Riccardo Muti, conductor (Italy)
Oscar Niemeyer, renowned architect (Brazil)
God Nisanov, billionaire property developer
Sagadat Nurmagambetov, Defense Minister of Kazakhstan
Victor Petrov, a historian of Russian-American studies
Richard Pierce, a historian of Russian-American studies (USA)
Marcel Prud'homme, senator (Canada)
Buvaisar Saitiev, 3x olympic gold medal wrestler
Mrinal Sen, film director (India)
Dimitris Sioufas, legislator (Greece)
Barbara Sweetland Smith, a historian of Russian-American studies (USA)
James W. Symington, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and current attorney at Nossaman LLP/O'Connor & Hannan (USA)
Andrzej Wajda, film director (Poland)
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, recognised for contributions to friendly relations between Russia and the UK, and his love of Russian literature. (UK)
Tatjana Ždanoka, politician (Latvia)
Ignatius IV of Antioch (Hazim), Patriarch Ignatius IV, Greek Orthodox Christian Church
Prince Dimitri Romanov, claimant to headship of the Imperial House of Russia
Constantine Orbelian, conductor and pianist, 2012 Medal Recipient
Aliya Mustafina, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics
Anatoly Karpov, for his great contribution to strengthening peace and friendship between peoples and productive social activities
A. Sivathanu Pillai, BrahMos chief (India)
Dario Salas Sommer, Chilean philosopher
Ramayahi Shanmugam Sundar, director of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant
