14 December 2011 (Phnom Penh) – The University of Cambodia is pleased to announce that His Majesty Samdech Preah Boramaneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, has conferred the Cambodian Decoration of Honor, Royal Order of Sahametrei, Grand Officer, to Dr. Rikhi Thakral. This came at the request of Samdech Akka Moha Senai Pedai Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The medal was honored to Dr. Thakral 14 December 2011 in Phnom Penh.
Dr. Thakral, a Singaporean national and Executive Director of the Thakral Group of Companies of Singapore, has received this historic recognition by the Royal Government of Cambodia for his achievements in supporting higher education in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Dr. Thakral has provided a large number of learning resources and has played an integral role in providing scholarships to Cambodian students through the vessel of the “Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s Vision-100 Scholarships 2008,” targeting poor, under-resourced students.
In 2008, Dr. Rikhi Thakral was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Monisaraphon,. This is in addition to the honorary doctorate in Humanities which he received from the University of Cambodia in 2004, along with Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The University of Cambodia wishes to extend its warmest congratulations to Dr. Thakral for receiving this high honor.
