AIF 25th Anniversary Gala Raises $2.6 Million For India Development

India-West News Desk

SAN FRANCISCO, CA –The Bay Area chapter of the American India Foundation marked its 25th anniversary with a gala at Grace Cathedral, raising more than $2.6 million to support programs serving underserved communities in India.

The total included $1.4 million generated during the event’s pledge drive, organizers said. Funds will support AIF initiatives in public health, education, livelihoods and leadership development.

The evening’s top honor, the Legacy of Leadership Award, went to Lata Krishnan for her role in helping establish AIF in 2001 after the Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat and for her later leadership as president and co-chair of the global board.

Accepting the recognition, Krishnan said philanthropy is rooted in a shared sense of responsibility rather than obligation. She added that her journey with AIF had transformed both her and her family.

“When we talk about 25 years and 21 million lives, that achievement doesn’t belong to me; it belongs to all of us,” Krishnan said.

Nishant Pandey, chief executive officer of AIF, said Krishnan’s leadership had helped strengthen the organization over the years. He described her as someone who brings people together around a common purpose and leads through action.

The gala also highlighted personal stories tied to AIF’s work in India, including that of Pushpanjali Majhi, who joined AIF’s LAMP program as a migrant child, completed college and later became a teacher — the first person in her family to secure formal employment. Organizers said her progress helped lift her family out of intergenerational poverty and encouraged other girls in her village to remain in school.

Sponsors included WestBridge Capital, Wadhwani Foundation, and several philanthropic supporters.

Since its founding in 2001, AIF says it has reached more than 21 million people across 35 states and union territories in India through its development programs.