Tim Kaine, Nisha Biswal headline the event.
By Sirmukh Singh Manku
BETHESDA, MD — In a power-packed gala, featuring a number of influential Indian Americans and community, corporate and government leaders, the American India Foundation raised $300,000 for its philanthropic activities in India.
The event, held at the Congressional Country Club here Friday evening, was headlined by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal.
The two US officials were felicitated at the event “for their altruism, inspiring leadership, and philanthropic commitment to support AIF’s mission to help disadvantaged Indians through opportunity and hope,” the organization said in a press release.
‘This India-America moment is a wonderful one,” Kaine said in his remarks. “The opportunities for cooperation are significant. And one of the reasons they are significant is because of the amazing power of the Indian American. And, that’s what this room represents.”
The senator praised the accomplishments of the Indian American community. “The talent pool of the Indian American community in our country is so strong and so diverse in different subject areas, that if you are just putting together a team on the aristocracy of merit, you have Indian Americans at the forefront,” he said. “And that is an aspect of life in this country that makes the Indian American moment in the relationship between our nations so fruitful right now.”
The Virginia Democrat said he can’t thank the AIF “enough for the honor tonight.”
In her speech, Biswal lauded AIF’s work in India. “Today AIF has provided more than 90.2 million dollars in investment in over 23 states in India,” she said. “And, it’s branched out to provide assistance in health, in livelihood and economic opportunity, and of course, in education. It’s quite an honor for me to be honored by this organization that I respect so much.”
Referring to the US-India relations, Biswal said “there is no partner that the United States has that deeply respects our values, our views, our perspectives than the nation of India.”
Biswal, one of the highest ranking officials in the Obama administration, stressed the importance of people-to-people relations. “ I would say that the US-India relationship is not going to reach its full potential until the full potential of our ‘people-to-people’ ties is reached,” she said.
Other speakers included IMC Inc Chairman and CEO Sudhakar Shenoy, gala chairs Alpa and Haresh Bhungalia, and Venky Raghavendra, the key architect of the event.
Notable dignitaries that attended the gala included D.C. Court of Appeals Judge Sri Srinivasan, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Center for American Progress Neera Tanden, former CTO of the US government Aneesh Chopra, prominent philanthropists Ranvir Trehan, Shekar Narasimhan and Dr. MahinderTak, and AIF board members Victor Menezes and Pradeep Kashyap.
The nearly $300,000 raised at the event, which came from sponsors, donations, pledge drive and silent auction, will benefit AIF’s “Learning and Migration Program,” the organization said in the press release. The program, launched in 2003, educates and nurtures children in areas of high seasonal migration and so far it has helped 280,000 children in nine Indian states.
According to AIF, the sponsors included IMC, Jones Day, Legal Discovery LLC, Visitor Guard, Emirates, eHealthObjects Inc., SeeClearly Vision, Hughes and Cvent.
Comedian Anish Shah was the master of ceremonies. The entertainment part of the event consisted of classical tabla performance by Karsh Kale, who was accompanied by hammered dulcimer pioneer Max Zt. Local pianist and composer Raashi Kulkarni also performed.
The event was planned and coordinated by the DC AIF Young Professionals Board.