HAF staff members honored with “Pursuer of Peace” awards by Jewish community group StandWithUs

On October 26th, 2025, Ramya Ramakrishnan, HAF Community Outreach Director, and Sangeetha Shankar, HAF California Regional Director, received Pursuer of Peace awards from StandWithUS at its NorCal Community Reception, held at the JCC in San Francisco.



In their speech Ramakrishnan and Shankar shared about their allyship work with the Jewish community, receiving standing ovations for their conviction and strength. This award is a testimony of Hindu- Jewish solidarity and allyship built by HAF along with its Hindu supporters especially since October 7th.



On receiving the award Sangeetha Shankar stated:



“I was absolutely thrilled to be honored by StandWithUS at their Norcal community reception, which was a very moving event for me to attend. This award celebrates the entire HAF team’s support of the California Jewish communities, especially in taking a strong stand against antisemitism. We have participated in numerous rallies, panel discussions and conferences, battling extreme weather and danger from antisemites, finding common cause in our shared challenges. Standing up for the Jewish communities, means standing up for myself as a Hindu, a woman and a mother.”



Ramya Ramakrishnan commented:



“The 2025 SWU Community reception was a deeply moving and inspiring event filled with stories of courage and resilience. It was an incredible honor to be recognized both individually and as a representative of HAF and receive the Pursuer of Peace award with my colleague. Supporting our Jewish friends when they face hate and standing up for their rights is an innate response to us Hindu Americans, as we are subject to similar hatred, often from the same groups and individuals. Our collaboration and showing up for each other in this fight for our dignity and rights, speaks volumes and we are looking forward to continuing the meaningful work together. The outpouring of love, warmth and appreciation we received from the Jewish community is something we will remember forever.”



In addition to Ramakrishnan and Shankar, HAF board members Dr. Mihir Meghani and Rajeev Singh also participated in the reception, supporting StandWithUs in their efforts and to promote Hindu-Jewish unity.



Photo (L to R): HAF Board Member and Co-Founder, Mihir Meghani; HAF Community Outreach Director Ramya Ramakrishnan; HAF California Regional Director Sangeetha Shankar; StandWithUs Executive Director Oleg Ivanov.