2015 DC Gala Sets New Chapter Benchmark
This year’s DC Gala marked the 20th anniversary of Pratham, and perhaps that is what caused locals to step up their giving. More than 300 guests gathered at the JW Marriott in downtown Washington DC on October 3 to celebrate Pratham’s achievements and to renew their commitment to the cause. Together they raised $300,000 for Pratham programs in literacy, early childhood education, vocational training and girls education.
“I am touched by the passion of our community to come together to support such a noble cause,” said DC chapter president Rakesh Bhatia, “and am very encouraged that we can collectively make a tremendous difference in the lives of underprivileged children in India through the very unique and creative educational programs offered by Pratham.”
The guest list—a who’s who of the DC-area Indian American community—included local tech entrepreneur Reggie Aggarwal, the night’s keynote speaker. In a moving speech about the difficulties his own firm, Cvent, encountered while promoting education in India, he stressed the importance of finding a good program partner: “We learned that an organization like Pratham, with its proven methodology and measurable results, can do a far better job of helping us advance education.”
The evening’s entertainment included performances by DC Metro Punjabi Arts Academy and dance music mixed by DJ Ali.
