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Indian Development Foundation hosts annual gala
The event highlighted the organization's impact through key projects and recognized individuals making a difference.
INDFUSA annual gala. / Asian Media USA
The Indian Development Foundation, USA (INDFUSA) hosted its annual gala in Illinois last week to raise awareness and mobilize resources for education, health, and women empowerment initiatives.
The event held at the Fairfield by Marriott brought together supporters, advocates, and community leaders for a night of celebration and philanthrophy.
The evening commenced with a meet and greet, hosted by Anjali Mohanty. INDFUSA founder and CEO Cecil Joseph reflected on the organization’s journey and the collective effort required to bring lasting change.
Somnath Ghosh, Consul General of India, Chicago, who graced he event emphasized the importance of service and community-driven initiatives. The event included keynote speeches, presentations, and discussions on IDFUSA’s flagship initiatives.
Key speakers included Aunali Rupani, trustee of IDF India, who discussed Project Aashayein, which has provided education to over 102,000 children from remote Indian villages. Sana Rupani, global head of PR, highlighted Project Dignity, addressing menstrual hygiene challenges for young girls by distributing over 100,000 sanitary kits.
Shailaja Donempudi, chief scientist and advisor, spoke on the importance of STEM education and the Ignite STEM Passion initiative, which empowers teachers to foster scientific curiosity.
A special video message from A.P. Jayaraman, a renowned nuclear scientist and trustee president of IDF India, commended IDFUSA’s work in supporting education and STEM training.
The gala also honored individuals and organizations that have played a vital role in IDFUSA’s success. Certificates of appreciation were presented to key donors, and young philanthropist Advik Mohanty was recognized with the Kiddo Award for his dedication to charitable causes.
The organization also celebrated 50 years of service by CEO Cecil Joseph, whose leadership has been instrumental in expanding IDF’s impact. Other honorees included John Trivedi (president), Thomas Abraham (vice president), Mukesh Shah (treasurer), Ivy Joseph (office coordinator), Anjali Mohanty (director of special initiatives), and Queenie Mendonca (communications director).
“We were thrilled to host the event in Chicago, bringing together change-makers who are committed to making a difference,” CEO Joseph said. “This event was not just a celebration of our achievements, but a call to action for everyone to join us in creating a lasting impact.”
The event concluded with inspiring stories from Anjali Mohanty and Queenie Mendonca, who shared their experiences from the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Their accounts emphasized global advocacy, the resilience of women leaders, and the need for education and policy reforms in marginalized communities.
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