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LiveOnNY (LONY) recently honored donors and community heroes from the South Asian community in a special event attended by over 250 invited guests, city officials, and LONY representatives. Organ donor families received special recognition for their generosity and courage.

“The highlight of the evening was hearing the stories of donor families — how tragedy was transformed into something so beautiful, giving, and powerful,” said Dunesh Kaur, LONY’s Community and Government Affairs Liaison, in an exclusive interview with Desi Talk.

### Honoring Community Leaders

The event celebrated several prominent South Asian community leaders, including:
– Inderjit Singh, Publisher and Chief Editor of *The Indian Panorama*
– Koshy Thomas, Democratic Candidate for District 23 of NYC Council
– Indu Jaiswal, Chair of nonprofit American Forum Inc.
– Dr. Vipul Patel, External Affairs Administrator of Flushing Swaminarayan Mandir
– Dr. Shyla Roshin, Director of Nursing for Behavioral Health at NYC Health & Hospital and President of the Indian Nurses Association of New York
– Dr. Harshad Patel, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at Westchester Medical Center Health Network

This meaningful gathering was jointly organized by Dunesh Kaur and Dr. Mariam Singh of the New York City Department of Correction (NYCD) Desi Society and hosted by the Gujarati Samaj of New York at their Fresh Meadows, NY facility.

### About LiveOnNY

LiveOnNY, formerly known as the New York Organ Donor Network, is a federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving the greater New York area. The nonprofit facilitates organ and tissue donation decision-making and offers emotional support and counseling to donor families.

### Memorable Moments and Community Impact

Reflecting on a special moment during the event, Kaur shared, “A Gujarati couple registered together to become organ donors. It was beautiful to witness — both confident in their decision, understanding that anyone can be in need of a life-saving transplant at any time.”

Kaur emphasized that their commitment demonstrated deep compassion and awareness. “Moments like these remind us that small steps create meaningful impact.”

Earlier, LONY collaborated with the Gujarati Samaj on their Health and Wellness Fair to engage the community, address questions, and dispel misconceptions about organ and tissue donation.

“Through these events, I am able to connect directly with community members, provide accurate information, and clear up myths surrounding donation,” Kaur stated.

### Growing Support in the South Asian Community

Kaur noted the tremendous support LONY has received from the Gujarati communities in Long Island and Queens. “Our partnership with mandirs such as BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Flushing has been especially meaningful. We are grateful for their attentiveness and dedication to raising awareness about organ and tissue donation.”

She highlighted positive progress within the South Asian community toward understanding the life-changing impact of organ donation. “We are seeing a meaningful increase in authorized organ donation cases.”

Kaur shared moving examples of two families in Queens and Westchester who made the incredibly difficult decision to donate the organs of loved ones declared brain dead. “As a Family Support Advocate, I understand how challenging acceptance can be during such times,” she said.

Gently guiding families through the process and helping them honor their loved ones’ legacies through organ and tissue donation is crucial, Kaur added.

“I have witnessed firsthand how this one decision can bring a sense of purpose, healing, and strength to grieving families. Their loved ones become heroes, giving the gift of life and hope to others,” she emphasized.

### Event Attendees

The event was attended by LiveOnNY’s Vice President of Community and Public Affairs Scott Wohl; Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Dorie Klissas; managers and liaisons from LiveOnNY’s Community and Public Affairs Department; Dr. Mariam Singh; President Officer Manish Chopra; and board members of the NYCD Desi Society.

Also present were notable dignitaries and guests, including Senator John Liu; Councilmember Sandra Ung; Assemblymen Ed Braunstein and Jenifer Rajkumar; Civil Court Judge Frances Wang; Anurag Bhargava and Tsewang Gyaltso from the Consulate General of India; South Asian Liaison at NYC Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs Sookranie Dhanpat; Detective Neil Narayan of the NYPD Desi Society; representatives from the Nepalese American Law Enforcement Association; Professor Indrajit Saluja; and Dr. Hari Shukla.

### Acknowledgment and Appreciation

In recognition of her efforts, Dunesh Kaur was presented with a proclamation by Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar.

This event marked an important step in fostering awareness and support for organ donation within the South Asian community, highlighting the power of compassion and the gift of life.
https://newsindiatimes.com/liveonny-celebrates-organ-donors-and-community-leaders/

More than 550 supporters and guests filled the hall at the Share & Care annual gala on November 2, 2025. The event was held at the Jo Ann Magistro Performing Arts Center (JMPAC) in East Brunswick, NJ. This year’s gala featured the theme, “United in Purpose: Boundless in Impact.”

Sharad Shah, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Share and Care, shared with Desi Talk, “What was great was that many of those who came are long-time supporters.” The gala successfully raised $600,000 to support the organization’s efforts.

Dr. Manoj Desai, Chairman of the Fund Raising & Gala Committee, warmly welcomed the gathering. Saumil Parikh, president of Share and Care, provided an overview of the nonprofit’s recent activities and impact.

Dr. Amar Shah, who led the event organizing effort alongside Dr. Manoj Desai, announced the honorees of the evening. They included Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold, and Dr. Sudha Parikh; Dr. Bharat Mody and Dr. Bharati Mody; as well as Jaydev and Purnima Patel.

In his speech, Dr. Sudhir Parikh reflected on his long-standing relationship with Share and Care, saying, “It has been a privilege and honor to join the Share and Care Foundation and work with the Foundation since its inception 42 years ago. It is a privilege to be a Grand Sponsor of this organization for the last 43 years.”

He emphasized the importance of philanthropy, stating, “People successful in their fields must remember those who helped them get where they are today, and must help others the same way. Philanthropy is the most important way to do this. And education is the most important philanthropy, because when you lift a student, you lift a family and a country.” Dr. Parikh urged donors to open their hearts and wallets to give to Share and Care.

The honorees, Dr. Sudhir and Dr. Sudha Parikh, were presented with flowers and a plaque. Similarly, Dr. Bharat Mody and Dr. Bharati Mody—both doctors by profession—were recognized for their contributions. “Dr. Mody’s goal has always been to help organizations in India and the US,” said Dr. Desai. As part of Share and Care, Dr. Mody has helped build seven digital centers.

Among the Platinum Sponsors, Sharad Shah acknowledged the generosity of Tanvi and Chintan Parikh, founders of the digital consultancy company PRI (now called Proven). This young couple donated $25,000 toward Share and Care projects.

Share and Care’s mission is to “create a world that gives women and youth in India the opportunity to rise out of poverty and improve their quality of life in an ever-changing world of new and improved technologies and innovation,” according to its publicity materials.

One of the evening’s highlights was a Kathak dance performance led by actress, dancer, choreographer, and acclaimed guru Archana Joglekar, accompanied by a troupe of about 20 dancers. Titled “Rainbow Colors of Women,” the performance was a tribute to ‘Nari Shakti’ or Women’s Power. It portrayed the diverse roles women play as mothers, sisters, daughters, partners, wives, and friends, with music ranging from classical to folk to Bollywood styles.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Sindhu Mittadoddi, a specialist in geriatric and internal medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Einstein in Bronx, NY. At Share and Care, Dr. Mittadoddi serves as co-chair of the Women’s Empowerment program, working alongside Dr. Ketki Shah and Dr. Sudha Parikh, who built the initiative.

Sharad Shah noted to Desi Talk that “Dr. Sudha Parikh has been the ‘quiet’ force working with Ketki to create the Women’s Empowerment program.”

During the gala, Dr. Mittadoddi presented a video showcasing four examples of Share and Care’s impactful work.

In his speech, Sharad Shah drew a parallel between Share and Care’s beneficiaries and India’s women’s cricket star Deepti Sharma, whose brother supported her journey to becoming a leader in the sport. Recently, Sharma and her team won the Women’s World Cup by defeating South Africa.

The evening also included a special ceremony honoring the artists who performed at the event.

Jayu Parikh, trustee of Share and Care, delivered the vote of thanks, concluding a successful night dedicated to empowering women and youth through education and support.
https://newsindiatimes.com/share-and-care-raises-600000-at-gala-honors-grand-sponsors/

Category: nonprofit

LiveOnNY celebrates organ donors and community leaders – News India Times