Wadhwani Family Honored At TX College For Decades Of Philanthropy

India-West News Desk

HOUSTON, TX — Lone Star College CyFair has named a conference room in honor of Ashok and Ishu Wadhwani, recognizing more than two decades of the family’s support for the Lone Star College System.

Born in Calcutta, Ishu Wadhwani moved to the Houston area in 1980. She and her husband, Ashok, co-owned Applied Field Data Systems, a company specializing in geospatial integration and data management services.

The Wadhwanis became involved with Lone Star College’s Geographic Information Systems program, serving on advisory committees and hiring students and graduates at their company. They also established an endowment through the Lone Star College Foundation to provide scholarships.

Their latest contribution supports nursing education at LSC CyFair. The Wadhwani Conference Room is located in the college’s Health Science Center, and their donation will help purchase instructional equipment for the campus Human Anatomy Visualization Lab.

The family’s decision to support nursing education was shaped by a personal experience. Before Ishu died in September 2025, she received care from Celia LaPlante, a nurse at Memorial Hermann Health System and a graduate of the Lone Star College System.

LaPlante’s care made a lasting impression on the Wadhwani family and inspired them to invest in the education of future nurses, Ashok said.

“Nurses are often working with patients and families going through extremely difficult circumstances,” Ashok said. “Our hope is that future generations of nurses in our community will provide the same level of care that we received to others.”

Nicole Robinson Gauthier, associate vice chancellor for Foundation Advancement at Lone Star College System, said donor support plays an important role in helping students.

“Generosity from donors like the Wadhwani family makes all the difference for our students,” Gauthier said.