The Boston Leadership Council of AIF is hosting "Bow Ties and Bangles” a fundraising gala on Saturday, November 8th, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge. This elegant, black-tie affair will benefit the American India Foundation (AIF), the largest diaspora-led philanthropy focused exclusively on India.

“The gala is an opportunity to showcase AIF’s pioneering work in India helping uplift the most marginalized communities: providing education to children of migrant workers, helping rickshaw pullers with micro loans to make them self sufficient and helping women set up community waste disposal and compost facilities.  AIF gives people to ability to dream and create a brighter future. By helping people realize their aspirations, our mission is to unleash a virtuous circle of hope and achievement”, explains Raj Sharma, AIF Board of trustee and a member of the Boston Leadership Council. “Come and attend this gala, and of course get involved with the Boston chapter.  AIF is a great conduit to impact India in a positive manner.  It is an open, secular, transparent and accountable organization”.

Secretary William S. Cohen will be the chief guest and speaker. Secretary Cohen has a vested connection with the New England area as a former senator of Maine and the founder of the William. S. Cohen Center for International Policy and Commerce at the University of Maine.

Shivan Subramaniam, Chairman and CEO of FM Global will be the Honoree at this event. During the past nine years as Chairman and CEO, he has helped grow F.M Global from approximately a $1-billion a year company to nearly $5-billion in revenue. The company has been profiled on every major U.S. television and cable news network, featured on the History Channel and profiled in prominent publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal and the Economist to FORTUNE magazine and U.S. News and World Report.

Jonathan Bush, CEO of Athena Health serves as the gala co-chair this year. Mr. Bush served as an EMT for the City of New Orleans. Prior to founding Athenahealth, trained as a medic in the U.S. Army, and worked as a management consultant with Booz Allen & Hamilton.

Channel 7 anchor, Sorboni Banerjee will be the gala's master of ceremonies. The evening begins at 6:30 PM with cocktails, appetizers and a silent auction and music from fusion Band ‘Bangalore’. Silent and live Auction items include luxury vacation homes, fine food certificates, art , sports packages,  spas and much more. Dinner and entertainment will follow at 8:00 PM, with a solo dance performance by noted dancer and choreographer Aparna Sindhoor followed by Brown Badmaash , a professional dance group of students from Brown University  to entertain guests.

Since its inception in 2001, AIF has raised over $45 million and invested and partnered with 90 high-quality Indian NGOs who are working on primary education, women’s economic empowerment and HIV/AIDS.  In addition, AIF's Digital Equalizer program has introduced technology to enhance the education of over 550,000 students and through the Service Corps Fellowship, 169 young American professionals have served for ten months with Indian NGOs.

 Many of New England leading philanthropists will be attending the fundraising gala to show their support for AIF. The first event held last year garnered the attention of committed New Englanders to the worthy cause of raising money for grants to NGO’s in India. This year too, this elegant Black Tie affair is a tribute to giving – a celebration of achievement and paving the way for programs in education, livelihood and health. The list of sponsors includes several companies who have contributed to raise money for the foundation. 

To attend this gala or know more about AIF 

http://www.aifoundation.org/events/bostongala08.htm

About AIF

AIF's mission is to accelerate social and economic change in India. By mobilizing people and resources in the United States, AIF has invested in over 100 Indian non-governmental organizations since its inception in 2001. AIF awards grants to education, livelihood and public health projects in India - with emphases on elementary education, women's empowerment and maternal and child health respectively.

AIF also administers two programs: (1) Digital Equalizer, which bridges the"digital divide" by providing computers, Internet access and training in under-resourced schools, and (2) Service Corps, which builds the capacity of Indian NGOs by placing qualified young American professionals for ten-month volunteer assignments. President Bill Clinton serves as Honorary Chair of AIF.

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