A glimpse of the audience at the WHEELS Global Foundation Gala. / Mohammed Jaffer

Under the chandeliered ceilings of the Marriott Marquis at Times Square, the annual gala of the WHEELS Global Foundation brought together some of the brightest Indian-American minds — IIT alums who have traded engineering blueprints for social impact. The evening blended nostalgia with purpose as leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists reaffirmed their commitment to transforming rural India through innovation and compassion.

A vision of scale and trust

“It’s all about trust, partnerships — and scale, scale, and scale,” said Ratan Aggarwal, president of WHEELS Global Foundation, in his address. He spoke of a network of more than 120 partners in India driving solutions across health, water, education, livelihood, energy, and sustainability. “What if we could replicate our health models across all 28 states?” Aggarwal asked. “That’s 200 million mothers and babies impacted.”

Aggarwal’s words framed the evening’s spirit — a call to translate the IIT diaspora’s technical acumen into measurable social good. Founded in 2006 and inspired by the late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, WHEELS — short for Water, Health, Education, Energy, Livelihood, and Sustainability — is now among the most active alumni-led development initiatives in the world.

Roots and recognition

The gala’s longtime pillar Suresh Shenoy, a founding member and former president, set the stage for the night’s honours. “Every year, we look for those who didn’t just succeed in business but gave back — who showed what it means to make their success count for others,” Shenoy said. He recalled innovators who built companies, mentored generations, and quietly funded projects transforming India’s villages. “Tonight we celebrate that continuum — giving back not as charity, but as responsibility.”

Shenoy introduced Sharad Tak, the new Chairman of WHEELS Global Foundation, describing him as a pioneer who “built one of America’s first space-based communications companies and turned technology into a tool for community uplift.”

Humour, humility, and purpose

Tak, greeted with a standing ovation, opened with self-deprecating warmth. “My grandchildren told me it’s a grave mistake — I can’t even find a movie on Netflix,” he joked. Then, turning serious, he spoke of his six-year commitment to the Foundation: “We’ve come from institutions that taught us resilience. If you survived IIT’s canteen food, you can survive anywhere in the world.”

Tak reflected on the need to give back. “We will keep the wheels of this wheel spinning for generations to come,” he said, thanking his wife, family, and fellow alumni. “This is only the beginning. We have miles to go.”

Speakers at the event (clockwise): Ratan Aggarwal, Suresh Shenoy, Sharad Tak, Chuntu and Chirag Patel, Ratan Aggarwal honored the speakers, and Dr Raj S. Shah. / Snaps India/Mohammed Jaffer

A keynote of hard truths

The evening’s keynote speaker, Arvind Sanger, founder of Geosphere Capital and a respected voice on Wall Street, offered a data-driven reflection on India’s developmental paradoxes. “India has one-seventh the per-capita water of the world,” he said. “You cannot solve scarcity — you can only manage it smartly.”

From energy consumption to job creation, Sanger blended economics with urgency. “The poorest two billion people on earth — half of them in India — consume less energy than a single refrigerator,” he noted. “You don’t get rich without energy access. AI and modern technology will only widen that gap unless we plan for inclusion.”

He called for stronger advocacy from organizations like WHEELS. “We can’t just put band-aids on problems,” he said. “Engineers must also be advocates — to question, to nudge governments toward solutions grounded in data.”

The engine of compassion

In the health sector, Dr Raj Shah, Chairman of the Health Council, shared updates from their projects across India. “We studied free in India — now it’s time to give back: time, talent, and treasure,” said Dr Shah, outlining the council’s vision to merge medicine and technology.

Dr Bindu Kumar in an interview emphasised that WHEELS’ approach to healthcare extends beyond treatment. “We are not only addressing illness but building mental resilience — prevention of suicide, addiction, and depression using yoga, meditation, and integrated healthcare,” she explained. “Our goal is to heal minds as much as bodies.”

They described how AI-based telemedicine and maternal nutrition initiatives have reduced child stunting by 80 per cent in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Malwa. “We’ve already treated over 15,000 patients across 307 centres,” Dr Kumar added. “Our goal is a digital clinic in every one of India’s 600,000 villages.”

Honoring changemakers

The awards segment recognised a constellation of leaders: Dr Hitendra B. Ghosh, founding president of WHEELS; Dr Vinod Shah, founder of Health Prime International; and Chirag and Chintan Patel for their outstanding contribution to society.

A highlight was a special video message from Hillary Clinton, who praised philanthropist Frank Islam, calling him “a man who has spent his life in leadership and philanthropy.” Clinton lauded WHEELS for “transforming technology into a force for good,” urging continued engagement: “You make a difference — and you change lives.”

Partners in progress

The gala also featured collaborations linking India’s grassroots challenges with U.S. innovation. The Shooting Stars Foundation shared its work supporting STEM scholarships for 1,200 underprivileged Indian students. At the same time, People Shores showcased how its skilling programs in the U.S. South are creating tech jobs in underserved regions.

“These partnerships show that transformation travels both ways,” Aggarwal said later. “We learn as much from the communities we serve as they learn from us.”

The night’s quiet promise

As dinner plates cleared and pledge cards circulated, Aggarwal took the microphone one last time. “You make a living by what you get,” he said, quoting Winston Churchill, “but you make a life by what you give.” The ballroom, hushed for a moment, rose to its feet in applause.

In a city that thrives on ambition, WHEELS’ gala was a reminder of something quieter — that progress, at its best, begins with empathy, and that the journey home can start halfway around the world. 

Frank Islam Delivering a video message. / Snaps India/Mohammed Jaffer