Shelby's Social Diary
Indian ambassador and other notables make Indo-American chamber gala a starryaffair
With more than 120,000 citizens of Indo-American descent living in the Houston area, it was no small group that gathered at the InterContinental Houston on Saturday for the 12th annual Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston Gala.
Close to 550 guests turned out in support of IACCGH programs and to welcome Indian Ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao, who spoke on the current global financial uncertainty and the international challenges faced as a result. Against that backdrop, she advised, one should examine India's dynamic economy.
Among dignitaries on hand were U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee; Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia; U.S. Rep. Al Green; Houston City Council members Al Hong, Brenda Stardig and Stephen Costello; Sugar Land City Council members Jacqueline Chaumette, Thomas Abraham and Harish Jajoo; and Fort Bend Independent School District president Sonal Bhuchar.
Indian Consul General Sanjiv Arora joined in the program discussing the working relationship between the non-profit and his office.
Taking leading roles in the evening's activities were gala chairs Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia, IACCGH president Mona Parikh and IACCGH executive director Jagdip Ahluwalia.
Interspersed between speeches and presentation of the 2011 Excellence Awards, the evening's entertainment featured International Cirque star Cristin Sanduand a champion hula hoop artist, Nicole Myint.