Harish Rawal - Jackson Citizen Patriot's 2009 Citizen of the Year

Harish Rawal, 60, who is a Jackson, MI neurosurgeon and founder of the Great Lakes Brain and Spine Institute has been named Jackson Citizen Patriot's 2009 Citizen of the Year. Last year, the newspaper named him a Distinguished Citizen.

Harish Rawal and his wife, Sudha, donated $1 million in 2007 to Jackson Community College to help pay for its newly renovated allied health and nursing classrooms, now called the Rawal Center for Health Professions.

This year, he gave $25,000 to erect a bronze statue of a Viking at Jackson High School. He and his wife previously gave $50,000 to set up a high school scholarship fund in memory of his mother.

Also in remembrance of his mother, Vasantiben, he recently donated $150,000 to Allegiance Health for its Hospice Home, 2150 Kingsbrook Drive, which provides end-of-life care.

"If I have a message to society, I want youngsters to get inspiration from our lives, from our ascent. And to those who have, we want them to have inspiration to give." Rawal said.

(via MLIVE)