Events

06 Nov 2018

Entrepreneur creates $100 mln VC firm for AI startups

06 Nov 2018

Asia Society Texas Center honors Goradias with Huffington Award

The Asia Society Texas Center has honored Dr Marie and Vijay Goradia with the Huffington Award at The Houstonian in Houston, TX. 
A discussion with the Goradias followed at the event about their life stories and their commitment to advancing educational and healthcare issues around the world. Both were raised in humble circumstances in India and came to the US in the 1970s.

Soon after emigrating, Vijay founded Vinmar International, a global petrochemical trading and marketing company which recently tallied over $4 billion in annual revenue. While back in India on a business trip in 1999, he was inspired by the educational interventions he saw being implemented by a charity called Pratham, and he founded Pratham USA, which supports the work being done in India for underprivileged children.

Marie, who earned advanced degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology from Bombay University, journeyed to the US to do scientific research. Her current portfolio is wide-ranging, including becoming a distinguished toastmaster, ballroom dancer, and an active community volunteer.

The Huffington Award recognizes leaders who have been a major force on the international stage. Named for the Houston oilman and former ambassador who played a leading role in cre-ating Asia Society Texas Center, the Roy M. Huffington Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Texas Center. 

11 Oct 2018

Pratham USA galas host Sen. Kamala Harris and Sundar Pichai

Above, US Senator Kamala Harris, at Pratham’s New York gala.

The NY Tristate and the Bay-Area, CA chapters of Pratham USA hosted their annual fundraisers on Sept 28 and Sept 29 respectively.
At the New York gala at the Cipriani Wall Street, the keynote speaker was US Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) while Google CEO Sundar Pichai was the guest of honor at the Bay Area fundraiser, hosted at the Palo Alto Hills Golf Country Club. The New York and Bay Area galas raised $3.6 million and $1.2 million respectively, according to news reports.
At the New York event, Pratham CEO Rukmini Banerji spoke of Pratham’s Pra-Digi initiative, which allows groups of children to teach themselves and each other via an electronic tablet. More than 20,000 tablets have been distributed thus far, at a cost of $100 per device.
Pratham USA is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of education in India. Established in the slums of Mumbai in 1995, Pratham is now one of India’s largest non-governmental education organizations, having impacted the lives of more than 58 million underprivileged children in the past two decades.

Watch highlights on Community Roundup

Below, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, at the Bay Area, CA, fundraiser. 

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