Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom is right. And so we see it in the Indian Heritage Awards which is not a one man show. But it has taken astute leadership, vision, persuasiveness and patience to make sure that there are enough smart, dedicated people around to keep it going in Los Angeles, California, year after year. Overall, the Heritage Awards has been a perfect example of a team game that has ensured the celebration of success and excellence among the young Indian diaspora in southern California.

And yet, there is that one man who makes all the difference to a show, the unforgettable protagonist in a gripping blockbuster, the calm anchor in an absorbing cricket run chase, the champion leader who stands out for the way he refuses to yell, and yet continue to inspire. There is always that one man who becomes the backbone of an event, the tirelessly striving lighthouse that keeps the navigators going in the direction they need to. That one man who inevitably knows how to soak in all the pressure, lay the foundation and build on it, and yet is never too keen on hogging the limelight. You cannot ignore such a man.

Meet Inder Singh, founder, organizer, and mentor-in-chief of the Indian Heritage Foundation Annual Awards, completing 30 years in April 2016. Even at 80 something, his enthusiasm hasn’t waned, his resolve to leave behind a legacy for young Indians in America has not diminished an ounce. And that is why, the Annual Awards have been such a success, and why donors have stepped in every year to sponsor this beautiful event that has become such a worthy cause.

When the proverbial whistle blows to set the ball rolling at the 30th Awards function on April 10, 2016 at the Cerritos Sheraton Hotel in Los Angeles, one man can look back with satisfaction at the yeoman service he has done for an entire generation. 30 years is a long time, after all—the first batch of awardees would perhaps be parents of teenagers themselves.