Praise for Tharoor's peer - sans Twitter

New Delhi, Nov 8 : She may not be hogging news columns or blogs in cyberspace like her colleague Shashi Tharoor, but Preneet Kaur - the other minister of state for external affairs - has been quietly making a mark. And that too, without Twitter!

Fondly known as Maharani Sahiba, Kaur has been bestowed the 'Sikh of the Year' award by the International Sikh Forum for her contribution towards Punjab and especially to the Sikh community. She heads off to London later this month to receive the prestigious award whose previous recipients were Indian Army chief General J.J. Singh and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Some of the achievements cited for the three-time MP from Patiala include the setting up of special camps in Italy to help migrants from the subcontinent - mostly Sikhs from Punjab - who needed to have their immigration regularised by availing themselves of an amnesty scheme. Also, Kaur resolved the issue of mandatory submission of police clearance certificates by Indians in Spain with the authorities. Punjabis, particularly Sikhs, have heaved a sigh of relief with the move.