Spotlight on Education at the 2015 Boston Gala

The Boston Gala, held on September 25, 2015 at the Taj Boston, was not only a celebration of Pratham’s 20th anniversary, it was also a celebration of education.

The evening’s emcee, former Miss America Nina Davuluri, kicked off the festivities by sharing the value education played in her own life and informing guests of the ways Pratham’s literacy and learning programs transform the lives of India’s children.

Ajay Piramal, keynote speaker and chairman of Pratham Education Foundation and Piramal Group, discussed the importance of Pratham’s methodology:

“Where most NGOs would stop with getting children to school, that is where Pratham started. Pratham tracked learning outcomes to make sure children were actually learning. The power of this methodology has now spread beyond India, improving learning for children from Bangladesh to Kenya.”

Dinyar Devitre, chairman of Pratham USA, spoke about Pratham’s journey from chalk and slate to computer and tablet, highlighting the partnerships made along the way: “For 20 years, Pratham has partnered with the world’s leading innovators, such as Google, for its Annual Status of Education Report, and has worked with former Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani’s EkStep to deliver Edtech solutions.”

The gala’s 225 attendees reaffirmed their support of Pratham through a pledge drive that raised $340,000 while enjoying inspirational speeches, gourmet food and songs from Berklee School of Music alumna Vasuda Sharma.

View event photos and learn more about Pratham’s literacy and learning programs.