$3 million raised at New York annual gala
I attended the annual fundraising gala of the American India Foundation in New York on Friday evening, where it was announced by the co-chairmen, Victor Menezes and Rajat K. Gupta, that the six-year-old nonprofit had raised a record $3 million at its dinner. This is an astonishing figure, and a tribute to the skills of the AIF staff, particularly its executive director, Pradeep Kashyap.
The foundation helps with education, computer literacy, women's employment, and health projects involving HIV/AIDS in India. Its operating expense is a mere 7 cents to every dollar raised -- which means that 93 cents of every dollar goes into field projects in India.
The evening was elegantly put together, with TV personality Daljit Dhaliwal acting as the impresario. Four young men and women who served as interns on foundation projects in India, offered perspectives on their experiences. A skillfully produced video was shown as well. And, for a dinner that attracted more than 700 people, the food -- consisting of spiced chicken and a mango dessert -- was surprisingly good.
A fun evening for a great cause.