News & Events

First Gala Event for the Global India Fund

(Washington, DC) – The Global India Fund hosted their second gala, the Sights and Sounds of Bollywood, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The November 6th event raised awareness of the diverse health challenges plagued by millions in India, as well as the mission of the Global India Fund(GIF). GIF is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides individuals and corporations with smart, secure, and transparent giving options to invest in health focused non-profits in India.

The sold -out event drew prominent guests from around the country. Keynote speakers included Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia; Kate Roberts, founder of YouthAIDS, a cause- related marketing initiative implemented by Population Services International (PSI); and Dr. Amita Vyas, founder of Global India Fund & assistant professor at The George Washington University. Her Majesty, Queen Noor Al Hussein, was the 2009 Global India Fund Honoree for her tireless humanitarian work with the King Hussein Foundation.

Queen Noor Al Hussein expressed her enthusiasm for GIF’s vision for inspiring philanthropy. In a written statement, she wrote, “The Global India Fund gives people at the grassroots level a voice to share their stories, their work, and their impact. And, it gives people around the world an incredible gift- the gift to make a profoundly positive difference.”

Founder and Chair, Dr. Amita Vyas eloquently shared how GIF is part of the giving solution. “The barrier to change is not too little caring but too much complexity. If we want to turn caring into action, then we need to see a problem, see a solution, and see the impact. Unfortunately, complexity is a barrier to all three. The Global India Fund breaks through these complexities to harness the willingness of so many who care and want to help. GIF is committed to improving health and saving lives by transforming philanthropy and inspiring donors to give.”

The Gala showcased the work of non-profit organizations addressing clean water, nutrition and maternal and newborn survival. GIF announced its partnership with Ethos Philanthropy, an India-based organization focused on creating a vibrant ecosystem for social entrepreneurs. Together, GIF and Ethos will soon launch Samhita (meaning collective good), an on-line marketplace of non-profit organizations, volunteers, and donors. Donors can search organizations, feel confident they are following accurate accountability and transparency guidelines, and track agency progress. Samhita lets GIF keep overhead low, allowing for a large percentage of funds to be dispersed directly to organizations.