AR REHMAN

"It is my great honour to be able to sing 'Jana Gana Mana', during the 60th Year of independence celebrations in the heart of the US Capital," Rahman said in a press statement.

"CineMaya Media is doing a great job by celebrating the 60th anniversary of India's independence and recognizing individuals and multinational corporations (MNCs) who have contributed towards the collective advancement and growth of the two largest democracies in the world," he added.

Supported by US-India Business Council, the inaugural event is hosted by CineMaya Media Group. The gala event will feature performances by internationally acclaimed maestros of Indian music like Dr. Balamurali Krishna and Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Pandit Birju Maharaj and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.

Indian actor Kunal Khemu, of "Kalyug" fame, will host the function.

The prestigious awards are instituted to recognise individuals and companies who have excelled in various fields. There will be two honourees in each category, one an Indian and the other an American. The categories are innovation, science & technology, arts, entertainment and media, besides Gandhi lifetime achievement awards.

The list of nominees includes former US President Bill Clinton, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, A.R. Rahman, Infosys chairman N.R. Narayana Murthy, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and author Deepak Chopra, among others.