BOSTON- The Boston chapter of Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving hot meals daily to over 2 million children across 22,000 schools in India, hosted the ‘Golf to Feed’ fundraising tournament this month at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, NH.
This year’s event was historic, with an astounding 144 players participating, sponsoring, and bolstering the fundraising efforts – doubling the typical turnout.
The golf tournament originated years ago, with the guiding hands of Rakesh Kamdar, Board of Advisor for Akshaya Patra, and Chandu Shah, Co-chair of Boston chapter and supporters like Praveen Tailam, Anil Patel and Raj Patel.
Through this year’s tournament, Akshaya Patra Boston raised funds to support the nutrition and well-being of over 2,500 children throughout their school year. This aligns seamlessly with Akshaya Patra’s overarching mission: “No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.”
Inspired by a conversation with Desh Deshpande during AP Golf tournament of 2022, Pareena Deva, a talented young golfer from Hollis, NH, lead the 2023 Akshaya Patra golf cause. Her dedication not only upheld the event’s legacy but also expanded its reach, doubling the participation in the “Golf to Feed” tournament. With the support of leaders like Mr. Kamdar, Bela Chandok, and Mr. Shah, the event did extremely well. Key contributors like Anil and Lata Patel and Jay Patel played pivotal roles in organizing and promoting the event.
Mr. Deshpande thanked Ms. Deva’s efforts for her leadership in organizing this year’s Golf event and setting an example to inspire many others to do the same.
“Your dedication and commitment have played a pivotal role in enabling Akshaya Patra to serve additional hot meals to children,” said Mr. Deshpande. “Your efforts, support from Akshaya Patra Boston team and sponsors truly demonstrated the spirit of giving and community, and the difference we are making together. “
Tailam, former president of TiE Boston and ex-chair of global TiE, said that he was impressed by the dedication, hard work, and spirit that went into making this event a tremendous success.
“It’s always a special feeling to witness a successful event at Sky Meadows Country Club, a place where I’ve spent countless hours enjoying and improving my golf game. The recent ‘Golf to Feed’ tournament was no exception,” said Mr. Tailam. “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Akshaya Patra team for their commitment to making a difference. Additionally, a special mention to Pareena Deva, whose leadership and passion were evident throughout the tournament. Cheers to many more successes and looking forward to the next opportunity to support and collaborate.”
TiE Boston President Yash Shah was awed by the unique fundraising event as well.
“Jigna and I have always been a long-term supporter of Akshaya Patra. It fills our hearts with joy to witness such a great initiative, execution, and the incredible turnout, all united for a noble cause,” said the TiE Boston president. “A hearty congratulations to the Akshaya Patra Boston team; your passion and dedication shine through and make all the difference.”
The Golf to Feed tournament received great support from the community and sponsors including Navin Pawar, Pravin Tailam, Yash Shah, Atul Gandhi, Chetan Shah, Myank Jain, Rajesh Tekchandani, Bhupen Shah, Manny Arora, and many others. Under the leadership of co-chairs Chandu Shah and Bela Chandok, team members Ajita Bhat, Yoshika Sherring, Venkat Kolluri, Rajiv Jain, and Manju Sheth were instrumental in bringing the event to life.
Together, with the collective strength of our sponsors, participants, and organizers, Akshaya Patra is lighting the path to a brighter future for countless children.
For more information on Akshaya Patra and its initiatives, please visit https://www.apusa.org/.
