Indiaspora Condemns Systemic Racism

June 4, 2020

Indiaspora is a nonprofit organization of global Indian diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities with a shared culture of strategic giving and inspiring social change. As part of the Indian diaspora, we have both benefited from the opportunities and faced the challenges that come with living in multiracial societies.

At Indiaspora, we stand strongly and squarely with the African American community, as we strive together for a more just America. Their struggle is ours too. Indeed, aided by allies from different communities, it needs to be our national purpose.

The Indian American diaspora is mindful of the fact that had it not been for the civil rights movement and the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965, many of us wouldn't be here today. But the letter of the law does not inevitably or automatically translate into the experience of the people. We too are not immune from racial persecution, as demonstrated by well chronicled events that have occurred in the distant and recent past.

We have more work to do. More to do for George Floyd's 6-year-old daughter, Gianna, who said "daddy changed the world!" Let it truly be so, for we cannot, we must not, disappoint her or betray her conviction. She speaks for all of us, and our sons and daughters, who must never be defined by the color of their skin.

Therefore, we resolve to work together, hand in hand, with the African American and other minority communities, until we can all be assured of successfully encasing our collective promissory note, set forth in America's constitutional declaration that we are all created equal, in the bank of justice. Let us end systemic racism.

#GeorgeFloyd #JusticeForBlackLives #BlackLivesMatter

India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) launches nationwide youth essay competition

FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2020

Contact: Alex Counts

Senior Adviser, India Philanthropy Alliance

mobile: 202-257-8739

email: alex@indiaspora.org

Press Release

The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) launches a nationwide youth essay competition for middle and high school students

Member organizations of IPA also announce their COVID-19 response

 Washington, DC, USA —The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a U.S.-based coalition of organizations that aid India, has launched a nationwide youth essay competition for middle and high school students to submit their ideas on how to effectively engage in philanthropy, including philanthropy benefiting India."Our hope through this essay competition is that the India Philanthropy Alliance can both push and amplify the best thinking of Indian-American youth about philanthropy and about what smart giving can do for India," said Deepak Raj, Chairman of IPA.Up to ten finalist essays by middle and high school students will be selected by a panel of philanthropy experts, and will be published on the Internet.For middle school students, the essay length is 600 words or fewer, and for high school students, the limit is 1,200 words. The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2020.The authors of the best essay in each cohort will be invited to the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit, tentatively scheduled for the fall, to present their award-winning ideas. They also will be able to direct at least $1,000 to a nonprofit of their choice.“With the current public health and humanitarian crisis, the stakes have never been higher,” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora, a member organization of IPA. “With so many students learning at home, this is an opportunity for parents to perhaps encourage their children to think about how best to help the less fortunate.”The pilot is made possible with generous support from the Sarva Mangal Family Trust, supported by the Shah Family of Orange County and their company MS International, Inc. They are also advising and assisting in the process."The Sarva Mangal Family Trust is pleased to support India Philanthropy Alliance's essay competition,” said Rup and Mona Shah of Sarva Mangal Family Trust. “We look forward to hearing what young people throughout the country are thinking about philanthropy and how it can be done right and in ways that benefit India. We are keen to learn about their innovative solutions."The essay competition is one of multiple initiatives of the IPA to grow the culture of philanthropy among the diaspora in the United States.The IPA also announced Tuesday what each of its organizations is doing to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and meet critical need. Responses include providing essential knowledge, protecting communities and frontline workers, ensuring education for school-age children, fighting hunger, supporting and collaborating with government to meet critical health needs, aiding affected populations, training health care professionals, and continuing to operate programs or preparing to re-launch those on hold.The twelve member organizations of the IPA include Akanksha Education Fund, American India Foundation, Arogya World, CRY America, Ekal USA, Foundation for Excellence (FFE), Indiaspora, Magic Bus USA, Pratham USA, Project ECHO, VisionSpring and WISH Foundation.The IPA (https://www.indiaphilanthropyalliance.org/) is a coalition of nonprofit, philanthropic and charitable organizations that mobilize people and funding in the United States (and elsewhere) for development and poverty-reduction programs in India.For additional information on the background and essay guidelines of the youth essay competition, please visit here.For any questions, please reach out to Alex Counts, Senior Adviser at India Philanthropy Alliance at alex@indiaspora.org.

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ChaloGive for COVID-19 initiative to fight hunger reaches its initial goal of $1 million in just ten days

FOR RELEASE THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020SEE INITIAL PRESS RELEASE ON CHALOGIVE CAMPAIGN APRIL 10, 2020 

Press Release

Indiaspora’s “ChaloGive for COVID-19” initiative to fight hunger reaches its initial goal of $1 million in just ten days from launch with an outpouring of support from the diaspora communityAtul Satija of GiveIndia and Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava of #HungerMitao partner with the campaignIndiaspora has reached a $1 million milestone in contributions from the diaspora community in just ten days after launching its ChaloGive for COVID-19 online giving campaign April 10 at ChaloGive.org to fight hunger. The donations are providing relief directly to vulnerable populations affected most by the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and India.The contributions given are sent to two partner organizations, Feeding America in the U.S. and Goonj in India. Feeding America has secured 4.7 million meals in the U.S. through the initiative, as each $1 contributed secures 10 meals through Feeding America’s network of 200 food banks.Goonj, which is using the funds to provide food, dry ration and hygiene kits to displaced migrant laborers in parts of eighteen states in India, has been able to provide sustenance for 106,000 migrants and their families through this giving campaign so far. Each $20 contributed to Goonj feeds a family of four for 7-10 days.“There was a huge desire in our community to help during this crisis, and we provided an easy way to give. The Indian diaspora stood up and rose to the occasion when the ultimate time of reckoning arrived,” said Indiaspora’s Executive Director, Sanjeev Joshipura. “We want to do everything we can to help our country of birth and our country of citizenship. It is not either or, it is US and India.”One of the donations that helped Indiaspora cross the $1 million threshold came from Bay-area based volunteer group Aram Sei, whose vision is to support grassroots charities worldwide in the areas of education and healthcare.“Our team of twelve members is proud to support the ChaloGive fundraiser initiative that helps us make a direct impact to those in need,” said Sangeetha Lakshminarayanan, President and Founder of Aram Sei. “We feel fortunate to be able to make a difference in our country of origin and the country we have embraced and made our home.”Indiaspora also added new partnerships for the ChaloGive campaign. In addition to former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, noted philanthropists Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and actor Nandita Das, all existing “ChaloGive for COVID-19” Ambassadors, Indiaspora is excited to announce the addition of GiveIndia CEO Atul Satija, and Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava, the pioneers of the “HungerMitao” (wipe out hunger) movement in America, who have helped rally the diaspora community to reach the $1 million mark."Having enabled over 10 million meals to-date, HungerMitao is proud to partner with Indiaspora to raise funds for the food challenged in this time of crisis,” said Raj and Anna Asava, who both have a successful track record of partnering with food banks across North America. “HungerMitao is a grassroots initiative engaging the Indian American community in the fight against hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks.""Just as India's social indices had begun to improve, coronavirus threatens to bring 80% of India's working population - the informal sector - to its knees,” said Atul Satija, CEO of India’s largest donation platform, and Indiaspora’s India partner for ChaloGive. “We appeal to the huge Indian diaspora to support the immediate needs of hunger and reviving livelihoods before they fall back into extreme poverty, and rebuilding the lives of the less fortunate in the longer term.”The campaign at ChaloGive.org continues, with a live Facebook ChaloGive rally planned May 4 at 9 pm EST / 6 pm PST on the eve of Giving Tuesday for COVID-19.ChaloGive for COVID-19 is the second online giving campaign by Indiaspora. Its inaugural ChaloGive campaign launched October 2, 2019 on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, from October 2-8, 2019, highlighting more than 20 organizations with successful track records in areas of poverty alleviation and empowerment, health, and education.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are a powerful network of diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad.More about our partner nonprofits:Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org) is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, they provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people they serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.Goonj (goonj.org) uses the under-utilized and excess urban household material as a tool for rural development across 23 states in India. It thus aims to bring an equitable relationship of strength, sustenance and dignity between the cities and villages. Their Rahat Covid-19 initiative uses their need-based disaster relief and rehabilitation model to engage its network of grassroots leadership and urban stakeholders to reach the most ignored communities.

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Contact: Mansi Patel

Senior Manager, Communications and Outreach

Cell: 772-486-0351

mansi@indiaspora.org

ChaloGive for COVID-19

FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2020

UPDATED APRIL 16, 2020

ChaloGive for COVID-19

Indiaspora’s giving campaign to fight hunger raises an initial $500,000 for the most vulnerable during the pandemic

 Washington, DC, USA — Indiaspora has launched a ChaloGive for COVID-19 online giving campaign to fight hunger and provide relief directly to vulnerable populations affected most by the coronavirus pandemic in the United States and India.The giving campaign has raised USD $500,000 in contributions from Indiaspora’s leadership network this week. The campaign continues Friday as a grassroots initiative through Indiaspora’s online giving platform ChaloGive.org."We are facing an unprecedented situation due to Covid-19,” said Anand Rajaraman, a Silicon Valley-based serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist, and an Indiaspora Founders Circle member who, along with his wife Kaushie Adiseshan, is a lead donor for the campaign. "The drastic measures necessary to control this pandemic have created special challenges for vulnerable sections of society across the world, particularly in India and the US. Indiaspora has the opportunity to unite the diaspora to quickly and decisively help in the midst of this crisis."There has been an outpouring of support from the Indian diaspora during this pandemic. Several community-based organizations are providing much-needed relief, with CEOs, entrepreneurs, professionals from different industries, and the entire community rallying to make contributions to various nonprofits.One of the most pressing and urgent challenges facing both the U.S. and India right now is hunger, which is a deciding factor in Indiaspora’s new ChaloGive campaign.In the U.S. more than 37 million people face food insecurity, with food banks struggling to meet a massive increase in need. In India, nearly 140 million migrant workers have been displaced and remain in dire need of food and other essentials."While all eyes are on frontline hospitals, millions in America and across the globe suffer silently from a growing and equally alarming epidemic of food insecurity as the COVID-19 crisis threatens to push already struggling families deeper into poverty,” said Sejal Hathi, an Indiaspora Board member and physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Now more than ever is the time for communities like Indiaspora's to come together and rise to this call to feed people in need. I'm so proud to witness exactly this commitment to seva."ChaloGive for COVID-19 provides an opportunity for the Indian diaspora to make a collective impact toward helping marginalized communities who have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing crisis."This crisis has made it even harder for those who were already struggling to survive," said Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman of Axilor Ventures and a founder of IT services company Infosys, who is also an Indiaspora Founders Circle member. "Given the increasingly global world we are living in, India and its diaspora are in a unique and powerful position to help each other."Partner nonprofits for ChaloGive for COVID-19Contributions to ChaloGive.org will meet demand on the ground through beneficiary nonprofits Feeding America and Goonj in the United States and India, respectively.Feeding America, which has been providing emergency food assistance to people facing hunger through its nationwide network of 200 food banks in America for more than 40 years, is responding to the new hunger crisis in the U.S.  Every dollar to Feeding America secures 10 meals through the food bank network.“The nation and our food bank network are facing challenges unlike anything we’ve seen in our organization’s history,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “We are truly grateful to Indiaspora for its support of Feeding America through the ChaloGive for COVID-19 campaign. During this time of uncertainty, the generous donations derived from this effort will help bring much-needed food and hope to countless families facing hunger across the U.S.”In India, Goonj provides disaster relief, rehabilitation and community development with dignity. Through their Rahat Covid-19 initiative, given their already pan-India network and presence, Goonj has already initiated relief work of reaching food, dry ration and hygiene kits to displaced migrants in parts of fourteen states of India.“Despite our extensive experience of working in disasters, the scale and still unfolding nature of this long-tailed disaster calls for massive resource mobilization for short-, mid- and long-term work,” said Anshu Gupta, Founder of Goonj and a Magsaysay Awardee.  We are delighted to partner with Indiaspora on this campaign as an opportunity to engage the Indian-American community and our well wishers from across the world in supporting their fellow citizens in this difficult hour."Contributions given at ChaloGive.org will go directly toward these charities’ relief funds, and are fully tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers.The deadline to have an additional USD $100,000 matched online by Indiaspora’s members has been extended to April 22; thus, donors who give through the platform will have the opportunity to have their impact doubled.Ambassadors for ChaloGive for COVID-19High-profile ambassadors have endorsed the ongoing campaign, including former Pepsi Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi, and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who serve on Feeding America’s Food Security Council and Board of Directors, respectively.“This pandemic has exposed an already existing hunger crisis,” said Indra Nooyi. “Together, as a society we must rise to this moment and address this great need knowing our investment in people, in families, and in communities will reap untold benefits not only now but into the future.”“It is essential that individuals — especially vulnerable populations who are most at risk — maintain access to food during this public health emergency,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy. “I proudly support this campaign and trust its impact will go far to bring relief to those struggling with food insecurity.”In India, philanthropists Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, who are supporters of the work Goonj does, also have voiced their support for the campaign.“Goonj is just the kind of organisation we can rely on in this double crisis of health and livelihoods,” said Rohini Nilekani. “It has decades of experience serving the most vulnerable while striving to preserve the dignity of every stakeholder, and it has time and time again demonstrated a scaled up, rapid response in the aftermath of disasters. We have been supporters of Goonj for many years. They care, and they deliver. Thank you all for your generosity and your support.”The Bollywood actress, director and social activist Nandita Das, another ChaloGive Ambassador, also has been a long-time supporter of Goonj."I have known Anshu for many years now and have been an admirer and supporter of the work Goonj does," said Nandita Das. "Their work gives voice and agency to people and underlines dignity as an important and inherent part of development work. This is what makes it truly commendable. We all must support their Rahat Covid 19 work not only because they have extensive experience of working in disaster situations but more so because they have consistently prioritised the most neglected people and geographies."ChaloGive for COVID-19 is the second online giving campaign by Indiaspora. Its inaugural ChaloGive campaign launched October 2, 2019 on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, from October 2-8, 2019, highlighting more than 20 organizations with successful track records in areas of poverty alleviation and empowerment, health, and education.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are a powerful network of diaspora leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad.

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ChaloGive Oct 2 - 8: Indiaspora’s online giving campaign to facilitate higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Ashish Shah, Community Relations Director, Indiaspora

Phone: (312) 203-5418

email: ashish@indiaspora.org

or

Gabrielle Trippe, Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, Indiaspora

Phone: (917) 708-1696

Email: gabrielle@indiaspora.org

ChaloGive (Oct 2 - 8) 

Indiaspora’s online giving campaign to facilitate higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora

Press Release

Washington, DC, USAIndiaspora has launched its inaugural ChaloGive online giving campaign from Oct 2 to Oct 8, created to encourage higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora.The grassroots initiative will focus on individual giving by the Indian diaspora to nonprofits that are making an impact through its online platform ChaloGive.org.The campaign was inspired in part by the success of Giving Tuesday in the US as well as the week-long Daan Utsav campaign in India, which also has gained considerable traction.“The word ‘Chalo’ means ‘Let’s,’ so ChaloGive means ‘Let’s Give,’” said Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. “The idea is simple: to allow the diaspora to learn about different organizations doing meaningful work, streamline the process for them to donate, and help cultivate the spirit of giving.”While it is well documented that Indian Americans are roughly 1 percent of the population and the highest-earning minority group in the U.S., a study Indiaspora conducted in 2018 with Dalberg found that the monetary giving potential of Indian Americans is enormous—at over $3 billion dollars annually.“ChaloGive was created to achieve that promise. Imagine what an impact such a growing and influential demographic can have,” said Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager.In addition, the study found a “passion-donation gap,” which means that the community does not necessarily give to those causes which it collectively claims to be most passionate about.By highlighting more than 20 organizations with successful track records in areas of poverty alleviation and empowerment, health, and education, ChaloGive allows the diaspora to find causes that they care about and to give to them.“We want to make the giving experience frictionless in order to effectively engage with online donors so that giving is not only easy but also strategic. The 21 beneficiary organizations for ChaloGive this year are a mix of small, medium-size and large non-profits with proven interventions and an ability to scale,” said Ashish Shah, Indiaspora Community Relations Director, who has previous experience starting giving platforms as founder of GivingRise.High-profile personalities in the diaspora community are also helping raise awareness about ChaloGive. “ChaloGive Ambassadors” include Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate; Nina Davuluri, 2014 Miss America; and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar.ChaloGive also coincides with the 150^th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth this October 2, in which themes of service resonate with the Indian diaspora.“ChaloGive was a logical next step for Indiaspora in our mission and role as a philanthropic catalyst for the Indian diaspora community. Our aim is to encourage philanthropic giving at all levels and ChaloGive allows us to engage with the 3 million strong Indian Americans who are looking to give to a cause that they care about,” said Indiaspora founder, MR Rangaswami.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are global leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad, with a shared culture of strategic giving and inspiring social change. 

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Indiaspora hosted its annual Philanthropy Summit at Georgetown University October 2

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Ashish Shah, Community Relations Director, Indiaspora

Phone: (312) 203-5418

email: ashish@indiaspora.org

or

Gabrielle Trippe, Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, Indiaspora

Phone: (917) 708-1696

Email: gabrielle@indiaspora.org

Indiaspora hosted its annual Philanthropy Summit at Georgetown University October 2

Two key initiatives announced: ChaloGive, a weeklong giving initiative by the Indian diaspora Oct. 2-8, and a philanthropy alliance of India-focused NGOs

 WASHINGTON, DC, USA — Indiaspora hosted its second annual Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit at Georgetown University October 2.This action-oriented all-day Summit of 100 participants brought together philanthropists, business executives, academics, policy experts, students and leaders of the Indian diaspora for thought-provoking conversations on various aspects of philanthropy.The Summit included two key announcements: the launch of ChaloGive, an inaugural online giving campaign from Oct 2 to Oct 8 created to encourage higher levels of giving by the Indian diaspora, and the formation of a new collaborative alliance of India-focused NGOs in the U.S.The grassroots ChaloGive initiative focuses on individual giving by the Indian diaspora to 21 nonprofits that are making an impact in India through its online platform ChaloGive.org.The campaign was inspired in part by the success of Giving Tuesday in the US as well as the week-long Daan Utsav campaign in India, which also has gained considerable traction, and coincides with the 150th anniversary of “Mahatma” Gandhi’s birth October 2.The second announcement was the formation of the India Philanthropy Alliance, a new collaborative effort of 11 nonprofits that raised $125 million last year, much of it in the United States, to support high-impact philanthropy in India.Other discussions throughout the day centered around collective impact among non-profit organizations, as well as a broad range of topics such as climate change, strategic philanthropic giving, the power of retail giving, the culture of corporate social responsibility, and arts education in philanthropy.To see the full agenda, visit here.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of the Indian diaspora into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members are global leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions that work to build stronger communities at home and abroad, with a shared culture of strategic giving and inspiring social change.

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New India Philanthropy Alliance to Advance Humanitarian and Development Goals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alex Counts, Senior Adviser, India Philanthropy Alliance

Phone: (202) 257-8739

Email: alex@indiaspora.org

NEW INDIA PHILANTHROPY ALLIANCE ANNOUNCED TODAY

TO ADVANCE INDIA’S HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS

            Eleven leading organizations to stress cooperation and collaboration

 WASHINGTON, DC, October 2— On the 150^th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, eleven organizations announced the formation of a new India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) to further advance humanitarian and development goals in India through increased collaboration.  They did so at the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit held on the first day of ChaloGive, a week celebrating Indian diaspora philanthropy.The organizations that comprise the new Alliance are the Akanksha Fund, American India Foundation (AIF), Arogya World, CRY America, Dasra, Ekal USA,  Foundation for Excellence (FFE), Indiaspora, Magic Bus USA, Pratham USA, and VisionSpring.  These organizations collectively raise $125 million annually in philanthropic donations, including more than $50 million in the United States. Their most generous donors are Indian-American entrepreneurs and professionals as well as companies doing business in both the United States and India.  Together, these 11 organizations have cumulatively impacted more than 67 million people with their evidence-based programs spanning education, health care, livelihood support, and other essential services.  The pre-launch activities of the Alliance began two years ago and were generously supported by Indiaspora.To help India meeting its United Nations Sustainable Development Goal commitments, the organizations that are part of the Alliance will work more closely together in their constituency-building efforts in the United States and in their work in India.  An article detailing their activities and objectives was published on October 1 in the prestigious Stanford Social Innovation Review.“We’re excited about this effort to join forces today as a new alliance committed to the ideal of making a collective impact.  Working together, using our combined philanthropic reach and innovative ideas, we can help India in far greater ways than each of us could accomplish working on our own,” said Deepak Raj, a New Jersey-based entrepreneur and investor.  Raj is the chairman of the Alliance, and also the chairman of Pratham USA, one of the leading education-focused nonprofits in the world. “The time is right for building a more robust culture of philanthropy among Indian-Americans and I am positive that our efforts will help accelerate social progress in India.”“Organizations working towards the goal of educating all Indians regardless of their family’s wealth cannot work in isolation from others with similar goals, or from efforts of the government,” said Minoo Gupta, vice-chair of the Alliance and the president of Foundation for Excellence (FFE), which has supported 20,000 low-income Indian scholars to pursue higher education.  “The opportunities for transformation are vast and a collective impact approach is now needed.”“Our generous donors have been telling us for years that greater collaboration among professionally run nonprofits focused on India made sense, and that a narrative of complementarity has been missing from our sector,” said Nishant Pandey, vice-chair of the Alliance and CEO of American India Foundation (AIF), which is a nearly two-decade old collective platform for philanthropy benefitting India that has raised $129 million benefitting more than 5.6 million underprivileged people in India through its work in education, health, and livelihoods.  “AIF is pleased to respond in a pragmatic and visionary way to our friends and supporters by being a founding member of the Alliance.” The India Philanthropy Alliance’s mission is: “To enhance collaboration among organizations working to advance the development agenda in India. We work together to foster a more robust and better recognized culture of giving among Indian-Americans and over time, increase the scale and impact of philanthropy benefiting India.”   

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Indiaspora Monitor of University Giving 2018

Indiaspora Releases Monitor of University Giving

More Than $1.2 Billion Donated by Indian Americans to U.S. Higher Education

Press Release

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Washington, D.C., USA

Indiaspora today announced the creation of the Monitor of University Giving - a “living database” to keep abreast of Indian American philanthropic donations to higher education. The goal is to illustrate how Indian Americans, the most highly educated ethnic minority in America¹, are giving back to higher education in their adopted homeland.The database catalogs Indian American donations totaling US $1 million or more to American institutions of higher education since the year 2000. It includes donations, made to colleges and universities that have been publicly disclosed. Since smaller gifts are not tracked, this results in underreporting of the total contributions made by Indian Americans, but allows for consistent year-to year comparisons of donations.MR Rangaswami, Founder of Indiaspora stated, “While Indian Americans continue to donate time and money towards causes in India, our community also believes that charity begins at home. Indian Americans are acutely aware of the vital role played by American Institutions of Higher Education in their professional success stories, and many of us consider it a moral obligation to give back and pay it forward for the next generation of Americans.”Several significant trends were found among Indian American donors. Fifty individuals made 68 donations of one million dollars or more amounting to over $1.2 billion. Of these donors, nearly half are repeat donors indicating how passionately Indian Americans feel towards giving back to American institutions of higher education, in many but not all cases, their alma maters. Additionally, while the frequency of large donations has stayed fairly consistent since 2000, the dollar amount of donations has increased on average since then.Indiaspora is proud to note that seven of the 68 donors are Indiaspora members. These members include: Sumir Chadha, Desh Deshpande, Kris Gopalkrishnan, Raj Gupta, Deepak Raj, Anand Rajaraman, and Sanjay Swani.This demonstrates that Indian Americans are giving back to institutions of higher education in their adopted homeland of America, helping to contribute not only to their own communities, but to the United States as a whole.Indiaspora (​www.indiaspora.org​) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the ​success of Indian Americans into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members, who are influential Indian-American and Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, form an impactful network. Indiaspora has three objectives:

• ​Increase the visibility and influence of Indian-Americans to actively engage in their communities
• ​Create a platform to help shape successful U.S.-India relations and connect with the global Indian diaspora in various countries
• ​Redefine the philanthropic model to promote more effective and sustainable giving by Indian-Americans

For questions, please contact Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, at gabrielle@indiaspora.org​.Footnote¹:https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/chart/educational-attainment-of-indian-population-in-the-u-s/Additional Resources:

• Download the Press Release
• Download the Report: Indiaspora Monitor of University Giving
• Download the Slide Deck: Long version
• Download the Slide Deck: Short version

Press to date:

• Times of India, "PIOs have donated more than $ 1.2 billion to US alma maters since 2000," Chidanand Rajghatta, September 25, 2018.
• Press Trust of India, https://www.deccanherald.com/international/indian-americans-donated-usd-694654.html, Lalit Jha, September 26, 2018.
• The American Bazaar, https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2018/09/26/indian-american-donors-gave-more-than-1-2-billion-to-us-universities-colleges-report-435381/, Dileep Thekkethil, September 26, 2018.
• India West, Indian Americans Have Donated Estimated $1.2 Billion to U.S. Universities, Reveals Indiaspora in New Study, Sunita Sohrabji, September 28, 2018.
• India New England News. 50 Indian Americans Have Donated $1.2 Billion to US Higher Education. September 30, 2018.

Results of the Indian American Community Engagement Survey

Indian Americans Volunteer Significant Time Towards Philanthropic Causes

But a Large Financial “Giving Gap” Exists

 Are Indian Americans Good Givers? Read the report here. 

Are Indian Americans Good Givers?

See the findings of the Indian American Community Engagement Survey, delivered at the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit July 17 by Dalberg Advsior's Associate Partner Swetha Totapally.To view the PowerPoint presentation slides, visit here. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTa09gQTsrs&t=6s[/embed] 

Press Release

Tuesday, July 17, 2018Washington, DC, USAThe Indiaspora-Dalberg's Indian American Community Engagement Survey, the first of its kind, found that Indian Americans volunteer at nearly double the national average but give substantially less financially, ultimately leaving significant social impact on the table. The community’s particularly keen engagement as philanthropic volunteers is encouraging but their lack of financial donations is disappointing, especially given that Indian Americans are among the highest earning groups in the US and have tremendous influence here and abroad. The study was designed and implemented by Dalberg Advisors with input from academic advisors Dr. Devesh Kapur (Johns Hopkins University) and Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan (University of California Riverside). The survey serves as a tool to understand the philanthropic behavior of the Indian American community at large. Twenty-eight non-profit, community organizations helped Indiaspora disseminate the survey to their constituents.The survey’s initial findings were discussed on July 17th during the Indiaspora Philanthropy Summit at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. We answered whether Indian Americans are good givers, and whether we give in alignment with the causes we are most passionate about. The survey paints a rich picture of the motivations and self-reported giving behavior of the Indian American donor community.Said Indiaspora Founder, MR Rangaswami, “Today, we are discussing what lies next for Indiaspora in our role as a philanthropic catalyst, which is one of the core pillars of our mission. We are in the early stages of strategically planning what we should do to move the needle – which is to say, increase the amount of Indian American philanthropic giving in America and to India, and make it more effective.”Added Dalberg Advisors’ Regional Director for the Americas, Joe Dougherty, “At over $3 billion dollars annually, the giving potential of Indian Americans is enormous. To put it into context, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation distributes $4-$5 billion across the entire globe every year. Imagine the kind of impact the diaspora could create if they met their giving potential. We hope that the results of this study help galvanize philanthropic efforts among this important—and influential—community.”We find that the community is passionate about social impact, has a diversity of interests, are careful screeners and prolific volunteers. An Indian American donor typically volunteers 220 hours each year, far exceeding the U.S. national average of ~130 hours annually.However, the community must not get complacent – the Indian Diaspora has a long way to go before we can call ourselves good givers. We find there exists a large “giving gap” in the realm of at least $2-3 billion. Further, we find a “passion-donation gap”, which means that the community does not necessarily give to those causes which it collectively claims to be most passionate about.Moreover, women and men do not always rank the same causes in the same order of importance. For example, 59% of women listed gender equality as an area they are passionate about (tied with education as their top passion area) whereas only 26% of men said the same (only 6^th on their list of passion areas). Finally, the community tends to view its business and investment activities as being almost entirely independent of their philanthropic engagements.We also find credible evidence buttressing the pervasive notion that Indian Diaspora donors often lack trust in the philanthropic organizations they might wish to give to. In other words, donors harbor a “trust deficit”.Indiaspora's Philanthropy Summit event included keynote remarks from senior U.S. government officials and inspirational philanthropic leaders from India and various parts of America. Additionally, we had panel discussions on collaboration among philanthropic organizations, on-the-ground philanthropy in India, and social impact investing. Over 150 philanthropists, industry leaders, non-profit heads, government officials, academicians, policy experts, elected officials, students and members of the media attended.Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established to transform the success of Indian Americans into meaningful impact worldwide. Their members, who are influential Indian-American and Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, form an impactful network. Indiaspora has three objectives:

• Increase the visibility and influence of Indian-Americans to actively engage in their communities
• Create a platform to help shape successful U.S.-India relations and connect with the global Indian diaspora in various countries
• Redefine the philanthropic model to promote more effective and sustainable giving by Indian-Americans

Dalberg Advisors (www.dalberg.com) is a strategic advisory firm which brings the best of private sector strategy, skills and rigorous analytical capabilities with deep knowledge and networks across emerging and frontier markets. They work collaboratively across the public, private and philanthropic sectors to fuel inclusive growth and help clients achieve their goals.For questions, please contact Gabrielle Trippe, Indiaspora Philanthropy Initiatives Manager, at gabrielle@indiaspora.org, or Swetha Totapally, Dalberg Advisors’ Associate Partner and San Francisco Director, at swetha.totapally@dalberg.com. — END —

Sanjeev Joshipura Promoted to Executive Director

On behalf of the Members of Indiaspora's Board of Directors, the organization's Founder and Chairman, Mr. MR Rangaswami, is delighted to announce that effective January 1, 2018, Mr. Sanjeev Joshipura has been promoted to Executive Director of Indiaspora.Joshipura previously held the title of "Director" at Indiaspora, where he started working in July 2016. Previously, he was a business and public policy consultant in the US-India corridor. His background in the corporate arena includes working at Fortune 500 multinationals in the US and India. In the policy and political realm, Joshipura has managed a US Senate election campaign, worked on Capitol Hill as an adviser to US Senators and Congressmen, and been the President of an international industry association. He resides in the suburbs of Washington, DC."I am honored that MR and the Board have placed their faith in me. It is my privilege to work for this organization, whose mission and values I truly believe in, and whose members I enjoy interacting with daily. Indiaspora has achieved a lot since its inception in 2012, and I look forward eagerly to working with and leading the team to even greater heights moving forward," said Joshipura.Rangaswami stated, "The Board is very pleased with Sanjeev's performance at Indiaspora since he joined us 18 months ago. He has really helped take the organization to a new level, and we plan to continue professionalizing and institutionalizing Indiaspora with him in this leadership role."The Indian-American community and leading Indians have demonstrated great support for Indiaspora's mission, events and activities. In 2017, Indiaspora instituted a membership model, in which we invite prominent Indian-American and Indian leaders in diverse professions, to become members of the organization. We have included a remarkably high caliber of individuals as members, and we plan to continue growing our membership strategically. In keeping with our growing membership, new projects, and expansion of geographic scope, we plan to recruit more staff in 2018, significantly adding to our team's capabilities.For questions, please contact Indiaspora's Communications Manager in Washington, DC, Ms. Mansi Patel, at mansi@indiaspora.org.

Indiaspora (www.indiaspora.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization committed to transforming the success of Indian Americans into meaningful impact worldwide. Indiaspora is recognized as a national leader in serving as a platform to facilitate U.S.-India bilateral relations and trilateral ties with select countries, increasing Indian-American community engagement, and redefining philanthropy among Indian Americans. As a powerful network of Indian-American and Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, Indiaspora is dedicated to improving the lives of Indian Americans on all level.

Diwali Stamp Issued by U.S. Postal Service

We at Indiaspora would like to first and foremost extend a great big thank you to the Indian Diaspora Community for all of your hard work, efforts and perseverance in helping us push the Diwali Stamp initiative forward, making what was once a dream finally come to fruition.  Without our community, this would have not been possible. Each and every single one of you should feel proud today as history has been made!

INDIASPORA PRESS RELEASE

Diwali Stamp Issued by U.S. Postal Service

 15-year Effort Results in Stamp’s Release

 August 23, 2016Happy Diwali 2016! The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced the official release of a postage stamp commemorating the important Hindu, Jain and Sikh festival of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), a respected leader in the cause, held a celebratory event on this momentous occasion and credited Indiaspora, among select others, for having fructified the Indian-American community’s vision of having a Diwali Stamp in America.This is the successful culmination of a long-sought goal of the Indian-American community, behind which Indiaspora and many other people and organizations put in unyielding and resolute effort. Indiaspora sincerely thanks the huge army of volunteers who in the best traditions of American democracy, made this day a reality!“Indiaspora lauds Rep. Maloney for introducing House Resolutions in Congresses to urge USPS to release the Diwali Stamp. Her efforts played an important role in the eventual achievement of this cherished objective of the Indian-American community” said Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami.Added Mr. Rangaswami, “This also shows the maturation of the Indian-American community that is now three million strong! We have come of age and are getting more engaged in community issues and also becoming more politically active.”Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) chimed in enthusiastically, “I am thrilled that the United States Postal Service has issued a stamp to celebrate Diwali. As Co-chair of the India Caucus in the House of Representatives and the only Indian-American currently serving in Congress, I am proud of all that our community has accomplished. Nearly a billion people around the world celebrate this Festival of Lights, including two million right here in the U.S., and this stamp represents the hard work and achievements of all Indian-Americans.”Indiaspora also thanks Dr. Shailendra Kumar, an Indian-American physician based in Maryland, for initiating this enduring cause in 2001. In 2007, the Indian-American community cheered when the US Congress officially recognized Diwali’s significance, and in 2009, President Barack Obama lit the symbolic Diya, or Diwali Lamp, at the White House. In 2013, activists Ravi and Ranju Batra gathered over 400,000 online signatures calling for the stamp.In 2014, when community leaders approached Indiaspora, we made a commitment to making the Diwali stamp a reality. In 2015, Senate India Caucus co-chairs Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced Senate Resolution 113, calling for a Diwali Stamp in the U.S.Indiaspora’s community engagement resulted in over 10,000 letters and postcards being mailed to the USPS urging them to create and release a Diwali Stamp. Indiaspora also launched an online campaign via www.diwalistamp.com, encouraging Indian-Americans to call and write their elected officials on this subject. Indiaspora’s blog, social media and newsletters kept up the drumbeat.Also in 2015, in conjunction with our partners at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Indiaspora volunteers walked the halls of Congress, meeting with elected officials and staff members at several hundred congressional offices, and convinced dozens of them to sign on to the congressional resolutions supporting the Diwali Stamp.In conjunction with HAF and other organizations, Indiaspora also hosted a huge Diwali celebration in 2015 at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, where more than 50 Senators and Congressmen mingled with over 1,200 influential Indian-Americans.Towards the end of 2015, Indiaspora and HAF sent a community letter signed by over 100 organizations to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee urging them to approve a Diwali Stamp.“This year, Diwali came early!” concluded MR Rangaswami.---END--- ABOUT INDIASPORA: Indiaspora acts as a catalyst to transform the success of Indian Americans into meaningful impact in India and on the global stage. By sharing insight, hosting events and connecting people, Indiaspora aims to unite the professionally, geographically and religiously diverse Indian American community toward collective action. Indiaspora is committed to supporting the Indian American community on all levels.www.indiaspora.org @IndiasporaForum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndiasporaForum/