All for education

Pratham Houston celebrated 20 years of Pratham USA at their gala, which raised a record-breaking $4.5 million – the largest amount by an Indian-American charity. More than 900 attended the gala at the Hilton Americas. The gala kicked off with a video tribute to honoree Vijay Goradia, who established Pratham USA in 1999 after visiting a preschool in the slums of Mumbai. Gala underwriters Bimla and Swatantra Jain were recognized for their commitment to education. Celebrity guest Anil Kapoor, a Bollywood star, said he was moved by the support. Emcee was Nicole O’Brian Lassiter. The evening concluded with entertainment from the dance group Rhythm India and a fashion show by designer Anita Dongre presented by Raaz. Gala co-chairs were Peggy and Avinash Ahuja, Indrani and Hemant Goradia, and Shital and Bhavesh Patel. Pratham improves the quality of education for underserved children and youth in India. Pictured are Pratham board member Celestine Vettical and his wife Mini. 

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