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Rupal Thanawala receives Indiana's top civilian honor
The Asian American Alliance president was also named to the Indiana 250 list of influential leaders.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 31, Jul 2026
- 18:31 EDT
- 52
Rupal Thanawala / Photo: Handout
Indian-origin technology executive Rupal Thakker Thanawala received the Sagamore of the Wabash, one of Indiana's highest civilian honors, from Gov. Mike Braun in recognition of her leadership and service to the state.
The honor was presented at the Governor's Residence in Indianapolis during the Asian American Alliance, Inc.'s "A Seat at the Table" speaker series, which brought together the organization's board members, business leaders, and state officials for a discussion with Braun.
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According to the governor's citation, Thanawala was recognized for being "distinguished by humanity in living, her loyalty in friendship, her wisdom in counsel, and her inspiration in leadership."
During the discussion, Braun highlighted Indiana's economic progress and the contributions of the state's approximately 280,000 Asian Hoosiers. He described Indiana as a fiscally responsible state and emphasized the role of immigrant and multicultural communities in strengthening its economy, workforce, and civic life.
Established by Gov. Ralph Gates in the 1940s, the Sagamore of the Wabash is among the highest civilian honors awarded by an Indiana governor. It recognizes individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the state through leadership, public service, or professional achievement.
The recognition comes as Thanawala was also named to IBJ Media's 2026 Indiana 250, an annual list of the state's most influential business and community leaders.
Thanawala is the chief executive officer of Trident Systems LLC, an Indiana-based technology company that provides software and digital solutions for government and commercial clients.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, she has worked on enterprise technology strategy, regulatory compliance, and supply chain systems, leading projects for Fortune 500 companies.
Her work includes developing artificial intelligence-enabled electronic invoicing technology designed to help multinational companies meet financial compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions and languages.
Outside the technology sector, Thanawala has remained active in higher education and community leadership. She serves as DEI Leadership Faculty at Indiana University, sits on the supervisory board of Financial Center, contributes a technology and STEM column to the Indianapolis Recorder, and is a Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation Fellow.
As president of the Asian American Alliance, Inc., she has helped expand civic engagement initiatives and leadership programs for Asian Americans across Indiana. The nonprofit's "A Seat at the Table" series regularly convenes elected officials, business executives, and community leaders to discuss public policy, economic development, and issues affecting the state's diverse communities.
A native of Mumbai, India, Thanawala earned a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Mumbai and an Executive MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
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