We Count You Amongst our Blessings

The 7th and grand finale gala of 2020 was hosted by the TriState chapters and was a joyous celebration of Akshaya Patra’s 20th Anniversary. With deep gratitude, I want to thank our fearless chapter teams, youth ambassadors, and especially all our donors from across the US, who came together to make a meaningful contribution to children’s lives in India.

Thank you to over 10,000 viewers who joined us live on our web page, Facebook, YouTube, and TV Asia. We received hundreds of messages to encourage us to do more and keep bringing quality programs to raise funds and awareness for Akshaya Patra.

Kicking off the event, we dedicated a segment to show our gratitude for the medical front line workers, who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to secure the health and safety of millions. Then, Dr. Rachana Kulkarni shared an intimate conversation with elegant and graceful actress and politician Hema Malini. Hema shared her favorite silver screen moments and roles and discussed how she utilizes her platform to make a difference in education and women's empowerment. We heard from inspirational poet Javed Akhtar, who graced us by sharing one original poem, Bhookh (Hunger). The Consul General of India Randhir Jaiswal expressed his admiration for Akshaya Patra’s achievements and partnership with the Indian Government to change millions of children’s lives. As a tribute, the talented lyricist Swanand Kirkire recited a poem he wrote and dedicated to Akshaya Patra.

Throughout the evening, world-renowned singer and music composer Shankar Mahadevan enthralled the audience with semi-classical compositions from Bandish Bandits, Bhajans, and renderings of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi to modern foot-tapping numbers from Kal ho Na Ho and Lakshya.

If you missed the event, please be sure to watch our recap video to see the event highlights and musical performances!

My heart is full of gratitude for the outpouring of support and generosity from our supporters, donors, well-wishers, sponsors, and volunteers, who made our Gratitude Gala a huge success! Thank you to everyone!