New York, NY, June 11, 2026—The American India Foundation (AIF) hosted its annual New York Gala to a 600-strong crowd at Cipriani Wall Street on June 9, celebrating 25 years of impact. The evening raised a record-breaking $3.8 million—of which over $1 million came from the night’s pledge drive, with a leadership pledge of $300,000 by Global Board member, Saira Lal—to support AIF’s multidimensional interventions in public health, education, and livelihoods, serving over 23 million lives across 35 states and union territories since 2001.
The Gala honored the visionary leadership and global contributions of BNY; Bharat Masrani, Retired CEO, TD Bank Group; and Salil Parekh, CEO & MD, Infosys. Trailblazers, business leaders, and AIF’s champions gathered from across the Indian diaspora to witness AIF’s transformative social impact. The evening featured host Dhaya Lakshminarayanan—comedian and former venture capitalist—and globally celebrated Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Senses were ignited by a VR experience of AIF’s award-winning Learning and Migration Program (LAMP) and a world-class menu curated by Chef Gaurav Anand.
Download Press Note
