A Guide to NECA 2026: Celebrating a Decade of Excellence, Inspiration and Community
BURLINGTON, MA — We look forward to welcoming you to the 10th Annual New England Choice Awards (NECA) Gala on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts.
This milestone celebration brings together about 400 business leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, healthcare professionals, artists, philanthropists and community members to recognize individuals and organizations whose achievements and contributions are making a difference across New England.
Please note that the event is completely sold out. Walk-ins will not be admitted.
Registration begins at 6:00 PM. As there is typically heavy traffic in the Burlington area at that time, please plan accordingly and allow extra travel time to arrive promptly.
Get ready for an evening of celebration, inspiration and connection—a night to recognize achievement, share success and be inspired by the people who are shaping our community.
Here is a quick guide to plan your evening:
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Where: Burlington Marriott Hotel, Burlington, MA
Parking: Free parking
Dress Code: Indian or formal Western attire
What: The 10th Annual New England Choice Awards, celebrating excellence and community impact across multiple fields
Tentative Schedule
- 6:00 PM – Registration
- 6:15 PM – Cocktail Reception
- 7:00 PM – Doors Open / Seating Begins
- 7:15 PM – New England Choice Awards Show Begins
- 9:00 PM – Gourmet India Dinner
- 9:45 PM – DJ / Dancing
Program Highlights
The 10th anniversary gala will welcome Jonathan Kraft, President of The Kraft Group and owner of the New England Patriots, as its Chief Guest.
The evening’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Srikant M. Datar, the 11th Dean of Harvard Business School, in recognition of his distinguished leadership and contributions to education and business.
Paul J. Ayoub, prominent Boston attorney and civic leader, will join the celebration as Guest of Honor. Ayoub has chaired the boards of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve in leadership roles with these organizations.
Honoring Excellence Across Fields
The 2026 NECA honorees represent outstanding achievements in business, healthcare, academia, arts, philanthropy and community service.
- Srini Devadas, MIT – Academia & Innovation Award
- Laura Weinstein, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – Art & Culture Visionary Award
- Chandra S. Pandey, Seceon – Business Trailblazer Award
- Lalit Sudan, Vision-Aid – Beacon of Community Service Award
- Sewa International Boston Chapter – Nonprofit Organization of the Year
- Jharna Madan, Hindi Manch – Community Catalyst Award
- Dr. Anju Nohria, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School – Healthcare Trailblazer Award
- Vivek Sharma – Philanthropist of the Year
- Cancer Mukti Foundation, founded by Pramod Pandey – Hope in Action Award
The Hope in Action Award recognizes the work of Cancer Mukti Foundation in cancer awareness, patient advocacy and support for patients and their families.
Welcome: Upendra Mishra
Hostess and Creator of NECA: Dr. Manju Sheth, MD
Masters of Ceremony: Mandy Pant and Aditi Taylor
A Night of Artistry and Inspiration
The 10th anniversary celebration will also feature a special dance presentation, bringing together artistic tradition and contemporary expression.
Anindita Banerjee, Senior Director and Group Head of Statistics at Pfizer, will be the evening’s featured dancer. A statistician and research leader by profession, Banerjee is also an accomplished dancer and choreographer who has been performing in the Boston area since 2011. She will be joined by Moumita Sinha, Sharobi Datta, Gayatri Kunchay and Sayantanee Sen Roy in presenting excerpts from Atmanah, choreographed by renowned dancer and choreographer Tanusree Shankar.
Presented By
The New England Choice Awards Gala is presented by INE MultiMedia, Inc., in collaboration with INDIA New England News, the region’s oldest and largest multimedia platform serving the South Asian community.
Founded in 2016, NECA has grown into an annual celebration of achievement, leadership, innovation and service. Its 10th anniversary is an opportunity to recognize not only this year’s honorees, but also the many individuals and organizations who have helped build and strengthen the New England community over the past decade.
Sponsors
The 2026 gala is supported by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Leader Bank; and Raj and Nalini Sharma, along with the event’s other partners and supporters.
We look forward to celebrating this milestone evening with you. Congratulations to all the 2026 honorees, and thank you to everyone who has been part of the New England Choice Awards journey over the past ten years.
