Arunay Foundation named 2025 nonprofit of the year in California

The non-profit was founded by Fremont residents Sharmistha Chakraborty and Tarun Pruthi after the tragic loss of their son in January 2021.

The Arunay Foundation has been named the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year for California Assembly District 24 by Assemblymember Alex Lee. The announcement, made during National Water Safety Month and in what would have been the birthday month of 12-year-old Arunay Pruthi, honors the foundation’s work to improve beach safety along Northern California’s coast.

“Congratulations to our district’s Nonprofit of the Year Arunay Foundation for a well-deserved recognition,” Lee said in a statement on May 21. “In memory of Arunay Pruthi, his family created the foundation and has dedicated themselves to preventing beach tragedies.”

Founded by Fremont residents Sharmistha Chakraborty and Tarun Pruthi after the tragic loss of their son in January 2021, the foundation focuses on raising awareness about sneaker waves and educating the public on coastal hazards. Arunay was swept away by a sneaker wave while playing on the beach with friends and family. Despite extensive search efforts, he was never found.

“Arunay’s parents, Sharmistha Chakraborty and Tarun Pruthi, turned their grief into purpose, and the story of Arunay has touched the lives of so many in our communities,” Lee added.

Assemblymember Alex Lee presenting the award. / Facebook

Since its launch, the Arunay Foundation has installed more than 25 life-saving flotation devices along the Northern California coastline, organized educational events about beach safety, and connected with hundreds of families through its annual walkathon.

According to the foundation’s website, Arunay was “athletic, witty, and kind,” with a love for soccer, music, movies, and his friends. His parents say they were unaware of the risks posed by sneaker waves before that day in January 2021. “We didn’t know the risks—what sneaker waves were, how to recognize hazardous conditions, or what life-saving actions to take,” they wrote. “We believe that with the right awareness and resources, such losses can be prevented.”

Arunay / Arunay Foundation

“Guided by Arunay’s light, our mission is to ensure that a day at the beach always ends with laughter—not loss,” they added.

The recognition by Assemblymember Lee highlights the growing efforts to improve water safety on the West Coast, where sneaker waves claim more lives annually than any other weather-related hazard.

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