DFW Honors Ashok and Madhu Patel at Annual Gala

The Dallas Fort-Worth chapter of Pratham USA hosted its annual gala celebration on Saturday, October 7, 2017. The event, which was held at the beautiful Hilton Anatole and raised $470,000 for our programs, celebrated local philanthropists whose actions and deeds have helped thousands find hope.

After a cocktail hour in the hotel atrium, Chapter President Dr. Lav Kapadia welcomed guests into the Imperial Ballroom. In his address, Kapadia articulated the evening’s goal: to transform the lives of 20,000 children. In doing so, “we would not only profoundly impact the lives of these 20,000 children, we would also be brightening the future of 20,000 families, which would have a ripple effect on the community at large. That is the magic of Pratham.”

Humanitarians Ashok and Madhu Patel were honored for their generosity and determination in strengthening the local community as well as their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of underprivileged children in India, Zambia and the US. “Pratham is doing such wonderful work for child education and youth empowerment in India; we feel honored to be a part of this team and to contribute to its success,” said Mr. Patel as he accepted the plaque of recognition from Dinny Devitre, a member of Pratham USA’s board of directors.

Children from DFW were also recognized for their participation in the Pratham Readathon. The kids, who spent the summer reading books to raise funds and promote Pratham’s work, warmed the hearts of the 600 guests in attendance with their video capturing the excitement surrounding the fundraiser.

Vikram Jaipuria, Executive Vice President of Caliber Home Loans, explained, “By supporting Pratham, we are actually investing in our future because educated children are India’s future in an economic as well as social-political sense.”

The program also included a fashion show of Indian couture by local design house Studio D Dallas, a family-style feast prepared by India 101 and a performance by premier South Asian a cappella group Penn Masala. The singers thrilled guests with their incredible renditions of US and Indian hits and inspired the crowd to dance the night away with the help of DJ Manish.

Pratham DFW would like to thank its supporters and corporate sponsors, including Caliber Home Loans, Encore Enterprises Inc. and ePace Technologies.

View more photos from the event.