BOSTON— The Desai Foundation has announced that Neela Montgomery, renowned business leader and advocate for women’s health, will deliver the keynote address at the 2025 Lotus Festival, the foundation’s signature annual gala celebrating dignity, health, and opportunity for women and children in rural India.
Montgomery, the former President of CVS Pharmacy and CEO of Crate & Barrel, brings decades of leadership across healthcare, retail, and technology to the event. Known for guiding companies through major transformations and global growth, she is also a passionate voice for gender equity and health access. Her appearance at the Lotus Festival underscores the event’s growing stature as a platform for global changemakers.
“A brilliant mind with a powerful commitment to equity and innovation, Neela is exactly the kind of leader we are honored to welcome to Lotus,” said Megha Desai, President of The Desai Foundation.
Montgomery’s tenure at CVS included leading over 190,000 employees and 10,000 stores nationwide through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, where she helped scale the company’s testing and vaccination efforts. She also previously led Orveon Global (Bare Minerals, Laura Mercier) and continues to serve on the boards of Logitech, Squarespace, Fetch, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, among others.
The Lotus Festival 2025, to be held on Sept. 13 at Omni Seaport Hotel in Boston, promises an inspiring evening of celebration, community, and cultural vibrance. The event will feature a special performance by the Berklee India Exchange (BIX), a pioneering initiative of Berklee College of Music known for its globally influential Indian and South Asian music collaborations.
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This year’s BIX ensemble includes international artists Hana Uwai, Harshitha Krishnan, Bahar Badieitabar, and Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez—a genre-blending collective representing Japan, Iran, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, and India. Their performance will reflect the Lotus Festival’s core values: cultural pride, artistic innovation, and global unity.
From powerful storytelling and live music to networking with social impact leaders, the Lotus Festival continues to draw visionaries, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers who believe in building a more equitable future.
The Desai Foundation is a U.S.-based public nonprofit committed to elevating health, livelihood, and menstrual equity in rural India. Operating across 3,750 villages in 8 states, the Foundation has impacted over 10 million lives, produced more than 10 million sanitary pads, and reached 30 million people through its flagship Heroes for Humanity initiative. The foundation’s scalable, community-driven programs continue to empower individuals to dream beyond their circumstances and transform entire communities.
For those looking to be part of a night that blends purpose with celebration, the Lotus Festival 2025 offers an unforgettable experience—where global impact begins with local inspiration.
