SOLD OUT! 10th Annual New England Choice Awards Set for Star-Studded Celebration with New England Patriots Owner Jonathan Kraft as Chief Guest
About 400 business, academic, healthcare and community leaders expected at November 14 gala; Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar to receive Lifetime Achievement Award as nine outstanding individuals and organizations are honored
BURLINGTON, Mass. — The 10th Annual New England Choice Awards (NECA) gala has officially sold out, with an overwhelming response from the New England community ahead of its milestone celebration on Saturday, November 14, at the Burlington Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts.
The landmark event will feature New England Patriots owner and President of The Kraft Group Jonathan Kraft as Chief Guest, while Srikant M. Datar, the 11th Dean of Harvard Business School, will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Approximately 400 business executives, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, academics, philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and community influencers are expected to attend the celebration, which marks a decade of recognizing outstanding achievements and contributions across New England.
Dr. Manju Sheth, MD, President of INE MultiMedia, founder of Women Who Win and creator of the New England Choice Awards, said the sold-out response makes the 10th anniversary particularly special.
“We are absolutely thrilled and deeply grateful for the extraordinary response to our 10th Annual New England Choice Awards. To see the event sell out as we celebrate this important milestone is incredibly rewarding. It reflects the enthusiasm, generosity and commitment of a community that believes in recognizing excellence, celebrating achievements and bringing people together. We are especially honored to welcome Jonathan Kraft as our Chief Guest. His presence adds tremendous distinction to an already special evening,” Dr. Sheth said.
The evening will celebrate not only individual accomplishments but also the collective spirit of leadership, service, innovation and philanthropy that makes New England such a vibrant region.
Upendra Mishra, co-founder of the New England Choice Awards and publisher of INDIA New England News, IndUS Business Journal, Boston Real Estate Times and Boston Life Sciences Times, expressed heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed to making the 10th anniversary gala a sold-out event.
“Ten years ago, we began the New England Choice Awards with a vision to recognize extraordinary people and organizations whose contributions make our communities stronger. Today, as our 10th anniversary gala sells out, we are filled with immense pride, excitement and gratitude,” said Mishra. “This success belongs to the entire community. We are especially thankful to everyone who nominated deserving candidates, to our distinguished judges and jury members who dedicated their time and expertise to evaluating the nominations, and to all our awardees who inspire us through their achievements and service.”
Srikant M. Datar, the 11th Dean of Harvard Business School, will receive the New England Choice Awards’ highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Datar became dean in January 2021 after serving in several senior academic leadership roles at Harvard Business School. An accomplished scholar, educator and institutional leader, his work spans management, strategy, innovation, design thinking, machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Nine Individuals and Organizations to Be Honored
The 2026 New England Choice Awards will recognize nine outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions across academia, business, arts and culture, healthcare, philanthropy, innovation and community service.
The honorees are:
- Academia & Innovation Award: Srini Devadas, Edwin Sibley Webster Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- Art & Culture Visionary Award: Laura Weinstein, Ananda Coomaraswamy Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
- Business Trailblazer Award: Chandra S. Pandey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Seceon.
- Beacon of Community Service Award: Lalit Sudan, President of Vision-Aid.
- Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Sewa International Boston Chapter.
- Community Catalyst Award: Jharna Madan, community leader, educator, producer and event organizer with Hindi Manch.
- Healthcare Trailblazer Award: Dr. Anju Nohria, Associate Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
- Philanthropist of the Year Award: Vivek Sharma, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.
- Hope in Action Award: Cancer Mukti Foundation, founded by Pramod Pandey.
The Hope in Action Award, introduced this year, recognizes the Cancer Mukti Foundation for its work in cancer awareness, patient advocacy and support for families affected by cancer.
Established in 2016, the New England Choice Awards recognize individuals of Indian origin, Indian Americans and distinguished leaders from across communities whose contributions have made a meaningful impact in New England, the United States and India.
The 10th anniversary gala is presented by INE MultiMedia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting art, culture, education and empowerment, in collaboration with INDIA New England News. The event is sponsored by Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Leader Bank and Raj & Nalini Sharma.
Event Details
10th Annual New England Choice Awards Gala
- Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
- Venue: Burlington Marriott Hotel
- Location: Burlington, Massachusetts
- Chief Guest: Jonathan Kraft, President of The Kraft Group and New England Patriots owner
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Srikant M. Datar, 11th Dean of Harvard Business School
- Tickets: SOLD OUT. To Join the waiting list, please click here.
