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MLK Unity Parade honors Krishna Vavilala in Houston
Vavilala said the relationship between the Indian and Black communities predates the current moment.
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Staff Reporter - Mon, 26, Jan 2026
- 23:32 EST
- 10
Krishna Vavilala accepting the award. / Courtesy of Krishna Vavilala
An Indo-American community leader, Krishna Vavilala, was honored during the inaugural MLK Grande Unity Gala and MLK Unity Parade held in Houston from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19, recognizing his contributions to community engagement and education.
The events, organized around the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., also marked the launch of a new scholarship initiative, including the ‘Krishna and Lakshmi Vavilala Scholarship.’ The program is intended to support students at Texas Southern University and those enrolled in India Studies programs.
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Dr. Charles Stamps, CEO of the MLK Grande Parade; Dr. Lynette Reddix, founder of ‘No Sister Left Behind’; and Vavilala, founder and chairman of the Foundation for India Studies, collaborated on the scholarship effort. Organizers described the initiative as part of a broader focus on educational access and cross-community collaboration.
Vavilala was named an ‘MLK Living the Dream’ honoree and participated in the MLK Unity Parade, riding in a horse-drawn carriage alongside his wife, Lakshmi Vavilala. The parade highlighted themes of unity and public service tied to King’s legacy.
Accepting the honor, Vavilala said the relationship between the Indian and Black communities predates the current moment. He cited King’s engagement with Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence as an early example of that connection.
“The bridge between the Indian community and the Black community is not a new one,” Vavilala said, adding that the Foundation for India Studies has routinely participated in MLK parades to help strengthen those ties.
He said the communities share common values, including family and aspirations for a society where children are judged by character rather than race. He also credited the recognition to those who, he said, chose “conversation over silence and connection over comfort.”
Organizers said the inaugural gala is intended to become an annual event centered on unity and civic engagement.
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