Houston has always been intrigued by India's rich culture of spicy foods, festivals, colorful clothes and dreamy films from Bollywood. So it was no surprise that the recent Bollywood-themed gala benefiting the Ek Disha foundation was a sellout with a diverse group of partygoers.
This 10th anniversary celebration of the Houston-based non-profit created a lively buzz in the House of Blues Foundation Room. Casino tables were humming, plates were full, glasses were overflowing and the party didn't cease until the early hours of the morning. By party's end, $145,000 had been raised for the organization impacting more than 60,000 lives in India.
Guests were encouraged to dress from the Bollywood's classic '70s hit movie Don and none did it better than "Baazi 2015" chairs Farida Abjani, Geeta Anand and Dr. Sippi Khurana. Also stepping out in glittering Bollywood-inspired outfits were Staci Henderson, Gina Li, Alice Mao Brams and Peta Chen Ledbetter.
Women weren't the only ones rocking the ultra glam '70s ethnic looks. The "desi boyz" emulated veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, who played the lead star in the movie Don. Bright orange blazers, polka dotted shirts, bell bottom wide trousers and big sunglasses were some of the trends spotted at the gala.
"This has been such a great opportunity not only to have fun with such a diverse group of socialites but also a chance to showcase our current projects and build momentum and funds for our future projects," explained Khurana.
Bollywood beats by DJ Impact and the cirque show lit up the exotic atmosphere while emcee Chau Nguyen kept the charity spirits flowing with her fundraising expertise. The House of Blues overflowed with a richly diverse group of notables from the South Asian and American community.
In the crowd were Rick and Tanya Pal, Swati Narayan, Dr. Neelofur and Sami Ahmad, Nicole O'Brian Lassiter, Vipul Anand, Pankaj and Asha Pai Dhume, Harish and Shashi Jajoo, Michael Pearce and Matt Burrus, Huma Nawab, Girija and Anant Patel, David Webster and Rose Chen and Sejal and Setu Patel.
Farida Abjani, Dr. Sippi Khurana, Geeta Anand.
