IALI Organizes 22nd Annual Diwali Food Drive: $21000 donation to INN

Food Drive in memory of Karan Beri, Arvin Batra, Giri Chhabra and other IALI deceased members

LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): India Association of Long Island organized their 22^nd Food Drive on November 11 at Mary Brennan INN Soup Kitchen. Besides organizers, IALI members and guests, MS Gooseby, who has been a great supporter of the IALI Food Drive and has invariably been present at each celebratory reception, was present and enthusiastically participated in the celebrations.

The Food Drive this year was dedicated to the memory of Karan Beri, Arvin Batra, Giri Chhabra and IALI deceased members.

Karan Beri, son in law of The Indian Panorama publisher and editor died at the age of 37 on May 6, 2017 in a car accident in Bengaluru, India. An MBA, he was running a successful call center in Bengaluru which served clients in UK and USA. He was planning to set up an operational office in New York. He leaves behind a young wife, Jaskiran and a five-year-old son Kabir.

Arvin Batra son of Ajay Batra, a prominent and dedicated IALI member died a tragic death in an accident last year. Arvin was a well-known dancer and was running a garments business.

IALI Food Drive raised $21000.00 and donated the amount to Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN).

IALI Food Drive has in 22 years become an institution. Their community project is a model to be followed by others. The idea of associating itself with the INN’s initiative to provide food to the needy struck Peter Bheddah some 22 years ago. With cooperation from friends he launched the project and it has since been successfully carried out. Peter and his wife Dorothy have always been leading donors. And rightfully, Pater was honored for his philanthropy as was later Ishar Singh Bindra.

Of the many selfless volunteers, the chairperson of Food Drive Aruna Saxena has been associated with Food Drive for 21 years. Similarly, Jaya Bahadkar, Co-Chair has been associated for a long time. The current President of IALI Bina Sabapathy has contributed a lot to the growth of the Food Drive. In fact, many more people have contributed over the years to make IALI Food Drive an effective program. They include Indu Chhabra, Rekha Chichara, Kishore Kuncham, Dev Ratnam and many more. They truly deserve appreciation for the good work they have done and are doing.