New York: In a remarkable evening that blended grace, celebration, and community pride, the Association of Indians in America (AIA), New York Chapter, held its Annual Benefit Gala on June 1 at the elegant Pearl Banquet Hall.
The event drew over 350 guests, including dignitaries, the Indian Consul General, elected officials, including the Nassau County executive, and community leaders. Along with professionals from the medical and healthcare industry, they all gathered to honor five exceptional individuals for their outstanding contributions to the community.
AIA-NY honored five exceptional individuals, each hailing from different industries, regions of India, and fields of expertise. Their outstanding achievements and excellence in their respective domains made them truly deserving of recognition. The AIA referred to the awardees as ‘Five Ratnas’ (jewels) of the gala, symbolizing their invaluable contributions to their fields and the community.
The gala recognized Dr Karthik Gujja for his exceptional leadership and pioneering contributions in the fields of cardiovascular and endovascular medicine. In his academic roles, Dr Gujja serves as the Director of the Endovascular Program at Mount Sinai South Nassau, Associate Director of Endovascular Interventions at the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Mount Sinai Hospital.
In private practice, he leads as Director of Cardiac and Endovascular Services across multiple outpatient interventional suites. He is founder of Long Island Heart and Vascular Specialists, with locations in Westbury, Queens, and Brooklyn and Co-founder of Empire City Heart and Vascular Specialists, serving Brooklyn and the Bronx. His remarkable journey is a testament to excellence, innovation, and leadership in modern medicine.
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Navneet Sikka, Youth Ambassador, was honored for exceptional achievements in business, entrepreneurship, and social activism. Sikka, a distinguished Senior Technology Controls Manager and Senior Vice President at Citigroup, brings over 21 years of expertise in the financial services sector. Her dedication to organizing numerous community service events, such as cancer awareness walks, blood donation drives, and cancer seminars, reflects her commitment to making a positive difference in society.
Hetal Gor was recognized for outstanding contributions in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Born and brought up in Mumbai, she is board-certified ob-gyn, practicing in Englewood, New Jersey.
Dr. Gor did her medical training in India and her OBGYN training from India, UK and USA.
She has multiple degrees like MD obgyn from India, MD obgyn & FACOG from USA , FCPS,DGO,DNB from India.
Dr Gor has won multiple awards as a top doctor, among top 10 Gyn surgeons award, compassionate doctor award, patients’ choice award, international women award for balancing career and family, International Academy Award 2017, Rising star award 2016, Nari Udyami Award 2018, Top five hundred Gujarati worldwide, CAIT Award for Women Entrepreneurship 2021. She has authored multiple articles on webMD and peer journals. Dr Gor was instrumental in starting free health fairs in Bergen County and sits on multiple nonprofit and charitable organizations.
Inspite of being a very respected and talented surgeon ,obgyn , successful entrepreneur, women’s rights champion and political activists, avid art lover, her pride and joy are her 3 grown up children who are champions in their own way.
Devendra Shrivastava, a distinguished medical leader, was honored for outstanding contributions and dedication. As the Medical Director of Dialysis and Nephrologist at The Brooklyn Hospital Center and Interfaith Medical Center, he has dedicated his career to advancing nephrology care.
Dr. Devendra Shrivastava is truly an accomplished and respected figure in the medical community. As the Medical director of Dialysis and Nephrologist at The Brooklyn Hospital center and Interfaith Medical center one Brooklyn system. He has dedicated his career to advancing nephrology care. His leadership extends to Brooklyn Methodist hospital also, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping medical services.
Beyond his clinical expertise, Dr. Shrivastava has been a Visionary leader, founding Empire ACO LLC and NYCC IPA, where he serves as CEO. His commitment to education is evident in his mentorship of numerous medical residents, fellows and medical students over the years. His influence also reaches the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin Queens and Long Island (AAPIQLI), where he currently holds the position of President, and MPMAANA, where he has served as President and remains an active Board Member.
On a personal level, Dr. Shrivastava is deeply connected to his family. His wife, Dr. Branda Shrivastava, is a Neonatologist at Good Samaritan Hospital in Bayshore. His children, Maneesha and Gautam, have pursued impressive careers in finance and hematology-oncology, respectively. His daughter-in-law, Suparna, is a lawyer, adding to the family's legacy of excellence. His contributions to medicine, leadership, and community service make him a truly remarkable honoree.
Ramesh C Gupta is the President of two pharmaceutical companies — Chemmaster International Inc. and R&S Chemicals in Kannapolis, North Carolina. He is an expert in designing and synthesizing complex molecules used in the treatment of various diseases, especially cancer.
Dr. Gupta earned his undergraduate degree from D.A.V. College, Chandigarh, followed by a master’s in chemistry (1974) and a Ph.D. (1978) from Himachal Pradesh University, India. His doctoral research focused on synthesizing naturally occurring flavonoid compounds to better understand their structures. From 2003 to 2013, Chem-Master had a research partnership with OSI Pharmaceuticals, where Dr. Gupta led a team of 12 Ph.D. scientists. He served as the principal investigator for numerous cancer and antiviral drug projects and received NIH SBIR/STTR Phase I and II grants to develop a novel DHA-Taxoid conjugate (DHA-SBT-1214) aimed at treating colon, breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers. In addition to leading his own research, Dr. Gupta collaborated with Lixte Biotech Inc. on the development of enzyme inhibitors targeting cancer pathways. they have two children: Joyce, a director at Barclays, and Vikas, a neurologist specializing in epilepsy in Virginia.
The gala also recognized three distinguished individuals for their outstanding contributions. The distinguished honor of the evening was bestowed upon the Chief Guest, Binaya S Pradhan, Consulate General of India in New York.
Leadership Award in the education field was given to Dr Christine Mannino, President of Queensborough Community College, and the Excellence Tribute in Public Service award was conferred upon Ashok Lavasa, a retired IAS officer from India, in recognition of his remarkable achievements.
President Beena Kothari extended her sincere appreciation to all attendees, including distinguished dignitaries, elected officials, special guests, and esteemed honorees. She extended her heartfelt gratitude to Gobind Munjal, National President of AIA, as well as all past National Presidents and NY Chapter Presidents, for graciously attending the Benefit Gala and for their unwavering support.
Elected officials in attendance included:
Hon. Thomas P. DiNapoli – New York State Comptroller,
Sent best wishes and congratulations
Senator Charles Schumer’s Office, represented by Tandeep Singh,
Sent best wishes and congratulations
Congressman Tom Suozzi’s Office
Sent best wishes and congratulations
Hon. John C. Liu – New York State Senator
Graced the Gala with his presence
Ambassador Binay S Pradhan Consulate General of India, in New York, –
Graced the Gala with his presence
Hon. Bruce Blakeman – Nassau County Executive
Graced the Gala with his presence
Hon. Edward P. Romaine – Suffolk County Executive
Sent best wishes and congratulations
Hon. Rosemary Walker – Nassau County Legislator
Graced the Gala with her presence
Hon. Seth Koslow – Nassau County Legislator
Graced the Gala with his presence
Hon. Jennifer DeSena – Supervisor, Town of North Hempstead
Graced the Gala with her presence
Hon. Rich Schaffer – Supervisor, Town of Babylon
Sent best wishes and congratulations
Office of Hon. Joe Saladino – Supervisor, Town of Oyster Bay
Represented by Harry Malhotra.
Hon. Ragini Srivastava – Town Clerk, Town of North Hempstead
Graced the Gala with her presence.
The beautiful gala commenced with a captivating opening ceremony, featuring:
- 8-year-old Kiana Vyas, performed the Ganesh Vandana daughter of Viral and Harsh Vyas
- Sujata Seth, who melodiously sang the Indian National Anthem
- Maya Kaul, who proudly rendered the American National Anthem
Their outstanding performances set the tone for a memorable evening.
The purpose of the gala was to raise funds for its upcoming Deepavali festival, benefiting Gala
The President and her BEST team extend their gratitude to everyone who contributed to the event's success. The event’s success was made possible by the tireless efforts of the NY core team and dedicated volunteers, whose meticulous planning and selfless service brought this milestone celebration to life.
Gala Chair: Kanak Golia
Gala Finance Chair - Haridas Kotahwala
Save the Date: AIA's iconic Deepavali event, held annually for 37 years in Manhattan at South Street Seaport, will now take place on Long Island at Tanner Park, Copiague.
Join on October 11th (rain date: October 12th) to continue the Indian traditional festivities with your family!
The Association of Indians in America (AIA) is the oldest national association of Asian Indians in America, founded in 1967. AIA's mission is rooted in promoting the interests of Asian Indians, fostering community engagement, and celebrating cultural diversity.
(All Photos courtesy: AIA-NY)
