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AIF Bay Area gala raises $2.6M
The event at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral marked the organization’s 25th anniversary and highlighted program impact across India.
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Malvika Choudhary - Tue, 21, Apr 2026
- 17:02 EDT
- 27
AIF Bay Area gala / AIF
The American India Foundation (AIF) raised more than $2.6 million at its Bay Area 25th anniversary gala held April 11 at Grace Cathedral, with $1.4 million generated through a pledge drive.
The funds will support AIF’s programs in public health, education, livelihoods, and leadership development aimed at underserved communities in India.
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The gala honored Lata Krishnan with the Legacy of Leadership Award, recognizing her role in co-founding AIF in 2001 following the Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat and her leadership as president and co-chair of its global board.
“What I’ve come to recognize over time is that giving, at its core, is a deep, pervasive spirit—one that is woven into everyday life and across every community,” Krishnan said while accepting the award.
“Through this journey with AIF, I’ve been profoundly changed… When we talk about 25 years and 21 million lives, that achievement doesn’t belong to me; it belongs to all of us,” he added.
AIF chief executive officer Nishant Pandey said Krishnan’s leadership had been central to the organization’s growth. “There could not be a more fitting way to celebrate 25 years of AIF than by honoring Lata… It is because of her leadership that AIF is stronger today than when it began,” he said.
The program also highlighted beneficiary stories, including that of Pushpanjali Majhi, who transitioned from being a migrant child in AIF’s LAMP program to becoming a college graduate and teacher, marking the first formal employment in her family.
Sponsors and supporters contributed to the fundraising total, including WestBridge Capital, Sumir Chadha, Ajay Shah, Aishwarya and Shashin Shah, the Wadhwani Foundation, and others.
Founded in 2001, AIF says it has reached more than 21 million people across 35 states and union territories in India through its initiatives focused on poverty alleviation and development.
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