Pratham Gala Celebrates Collective Impact of Phoenix Community

On Saturday, April 27, local Pratham supporters gathered for the annual Phoenix Gala. Held at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, the event brought together 300 guests, raising $400K for our education programs in India.

“Why should 26 individuals make as much as 3.8 billion people in the world?” asked the night’s keynote speaker, Dr. Steve Narang, CEO of Banner University Medical Center. In a speech stressing our collective responsibility to give back to the less fortunate, he declared, “There is no better treatment for inequality than education.”

Gala honoree Dr. Ray Umashankar, co-founder of Asset Foundation, echoed these sentiments: “The number of children who don’t have access to education is alarming. The work Pratham is doing to provide educational opportunity and employment so they can be part of India’s future is extremely important.”

The evening’s program included a live feed with children in India and a speech by vocational training program graduate Mamta Dawar, who gave a touching account of how her life was transformed by Pratham. The evening concluded with a Tarun Tahiliani fashion show presented by Raaz Inc., the first time the leading Indian designer’s work has been shown in the valley.

“This is our city’s 10th annual gala, and every year we see an increase in participation and enthusiasm for Pratham’s innovative programs,” explained Dr. Sheena Banerjee, president of the Phoenix chapter. “The tremendous show of support by the local community for children millions of miles away of is truly humbling.”

The event was made possible by the following sponsors and local supporters: Unislink, All Kids Urgent Care, Avana Capital, Pathogen Dx, Rovicare, Accrue Wealth Designs, Moneta Investment Advisors, Agave Pediatrics, Valley Chest & Vascular Surgeons, Elixia, Desi Jhatka, Wells Fargo, Calvis Wyant Luxury Homes & Southwest Kidney Institute.

View more photos from the event.