Washington: Four Indian-Americans were among 40 people who were honoured for their contributions to the US in the annual Great Immigrants tribute in New York on the country's Independence Day. Microsoft Corp chief executive Satya Nadella, Comedian and actor Aasif Mandvi, Carnegie Mellon University president Subra Suresh and former president of the University of West Georgia, Beheruz Sethna were honoured along with 36 others, the Wall Street Journal reported. Hyderabad-born Nadella created quite a stir recently by becoming one of the most powerful leaders in technology after taking over as head of the Microsoft Corp. He studied electronics and communication engineering before heading to the US in the 1980s.

Mumbai-born Mandvi first moved to England before migrating to the US when he was 16. He became famous as a correspondent on "The Daily Show," where he was known for his satire on issues such as Islam, the Middle East and South Asia. Suresh, who is an engineer and scientist, was born in Chennai and moved to the US to work on a postgraduate science degree, graduating in 1979. He is the ninth president of the Carnegie Mellon University. He served as director of the National Science Foundation from 2010 to 2013. Appointed by US President Barack Obama, he led the federal science agency in its mission to advance the fields of science and engineering research. Sethna was born in India in 1948 and served as the sixth president of the University of West Georgia – the first Indian-American to lead a university in the US. The July 4 event was sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation, a foundation started by a Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie who spearheaded the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and was himself one of the most well-known philanthropists of his time.