Bhubaneswar: In a major global announcement, the International Advertising Association (IAA) on the occasion of its 85th anniversary in New York has awarded Srinivasan Swamy and Ramesh Narayan special North Star medals for their distinguished service to the body.

The duo has been inducted into the IAA India Chapter Hall of Fame. Swamy and Narayan are also recipients of several other prestigious awards in the marketing communications space.

While Swamy was the first Indian to be Global President of the IAA, Narayan has been a Director on the Global Board of the IAA and was it's Vice President APAC region. They both are past presidents of IAA's India Chapter.

In 2014, both had been honoured as Global Champions at the inaugural Inspire Awards in London.

Considered to be the world’s only globally-focused integrated advertising trade association with membership representing advertising agencies and the media, IAA comprises corporate members, organisational members and educational affiliates.

The 80-year-old body with headquarters at New York,  has 56 Chapters with individual members and young professionals from 76 countries including the top 10 economies in the world. It's India Chapter membership is the most active chapter and has senior marketing, advertising and media professionals as members by invitation only.