RANA Celebrates 25th Deepmahotsav: Honors Distinguished Achievers

Oct 30, 2024 - 1:24 am EDT @theindpanorama NY/NJ/CT 0

R 1 Varun Jeph final — Deputy Consul General of India Varun Jeph, himself a Rajasthani, praised the RANA organizers for showcasing the Rajasthani culture

Dr. Samin Sharma, Chairman, Deepmahotsav spoke about the superiority of Indian Americans in every field in the US.

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): The 25th RANA Deepmahotsav was celebrated on Sunday, October 27, in grand style on Long Island, drawing distinguished guests from across the community. The event was honored by the presence of Dr. Varun Jeph, Deputy Consul General of India in New York, as the Chief Guest. Rajasthan’s former Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Mr. B.L. Soni joined as a Special Guest.

A key highlight was world-renowned invasive cardiologist Dr. Samin Sharma, Chairman of the Diwali Gala, presenting a generous $100,000 donation check to RANA President Prem Bhandari, who also serves as Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA. Additionally, checks totaling $110,000 were given to Bhandari in support of Jaipur Foot and Apna Ghar by Chandra and KK Mehta ($60,000) and Rajeev Daga ($50,000). Furthermore, Chandra and KK Mehta pledged an impressive half a million dollars towards a charity project in Jodhpur, India.

RANA President Prem Bhandari spoke highly about the honorees and the RANA team.

Dr. Raj Bansal expressed his admiration for Prem Bhandari’s commitment to social causes and pledged an amount from $1 up to half a million dollars to assist in repatriating mortal remains to India. Bhandari recently joined the NGO Team Aid as Chief Advisor, focusing on support for families in returning loved ones’ remains from various parts of the world. Dr. Bansal, known for building a reading hall at SMS Medical College in Jaipur in memory of his late parents, has already contributed nearly half a million dollars to the institution.

Honors were also bestowed upon Dr. Rohit Dandiya and his wife, Bharti Dandiya, for their philanthropic work, which includes funding a sports complex at SMS Medical College with contributions nearing half a million dollars, along with a recent quarter-million-dollar pledge to a Jain organization in Jaipur. In the field of medicine, Dr. Mukul Arya was recognized, while young entrepreneurs Jugal Kishore Ladda and Akhil Jain were celebrated for their achievements.

In his speech, Prem Bhandari announced a new initiative, Toys for Toddlers, aimed at bringing comfort to hospitalized children with uncertain futures.

The celebration concluded with soul-stirring Rajasthani folk music, followed by a traditional Rajasthani dinner, capturing the spirit of Rajasthan’s vibrant culture and hospitality.