The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is set to honor Ramola R. Motwani, chairwoman of  Merrimac Ventures, a South Florida-based real estate development and investment firm, for her contributions to the business sector.

Motwani will be conferred the award during the association’s annual award ceremony, scheduled to take place from April 4-6  in Washington, D.C. She will receive  the award along with ten other business, civic, and cultural leaders from North America, a statement by the organization noted.

“A generous philanthropist whose giving centers around education, Ramola Motwani embodies the characteristics shared amongst members of the association,” said Terrence J. Giroux, executive director of the Horatio Alger Association.

Hailing her as a strong female leader, he added, “Hard working, compassionate, and resilient, Motwani grew the business she started with her late husband into a leading hotel management and development company. We’re proud to welcome her to the Association and look forward to the impact she will surely make.”

Motwani has earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and a law degree from Mumbai. Later, she, along with her husband, moved to Missouri where they launched Sona Enterprises, a retail and wholesale import business. Afterward, they relocated to Florida and bought Merrimac Hotel.

Together they worked to purchase and manage several other inns and resorts. After her husband’s demise, Motwani single-handedly expanded the business.

As the chairwoman of Merrimac Ventures, Motwani’s family-owned and operated real estate management, investment, and development company, she has completed more than $3 billion in various projects, with another $3.7 billion in the works for the near future, the statement added.

In 2019, Motwani and her two sons launched the R. Motwani Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, which is the first-named academy at Broward College, to encourage local young people to pursue a career in the hospitality field.

She is a part of many community organizations, such as United Way of Broward County, the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County, and the Florida Commission on the Status of Women. Motwani was also inducted into the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame, the Nova Southeast University Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, and the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.

Her other accolades include being honored by the United States House of Representatives for excellence in developing the City of Fort Lauderdale, the Founder’s Award from the City of Fort Lauderdale, and a tribute from the Florida House of Representatives for her community involvement and business success.

“It’s when things get tough that it is most important to stay positive and keep going. That is a message I hope to share with Horatio Alger Scholars, and I look forward to working with my fellow Members to ensure the young people who are a part of this Association feel supported as they continue on their own individual paths to college and beyond,” Motwani said in the statement.

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes the achievements of outstanding individuals and encourages youth to pursue their dreams through higher education.

For more than 75 years, the award has been annually bestowed upon esteemed individuals who have succeeded despite facing adversities and have remained committed to higher education and charitable efforts in their communities.