AIM for SEVA Canada 2020 Annual Gala
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VIRTUAL GALA 2020 • TORONTO A NIGHT AMONG THE STARS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2020 AN EVENING TO REMEMBER, AN EVENING FOR SEVA. AIM FOR SEVA | CANADA | 19TH ANNUAL GALA | SEPTEMBER 13 | 2020 1 Canadian Registered Charity - BN: 861308906 RR0001 Event sponsored by well-wishers of AIM for SEVA STAR OF THE NIGHT Board of Directors Dr. Terry Papneja Dr. Vipin Mithia Arun Luthra CPA, CA President Vice-President Secretary & Treasurer Committees $150,000 Child Sponsorship Hostel Donation Silent Auction Arun Luthra Mike Lakhani Sapna Mehta (Co-Chair) Nimmi Papneja Dr. Terry Papneja Nisha Papneja (Co-Chair) ENDOWMENT FUND DONATION Dr. Sangeeta Bajaj Dr. Subodh Kanani Dr. Tripti Papneja Anand Jain Young Professionals Corporate Sponsorship Event Organization Punita Bansal (Co-Chair) Shalini Chandra (Co-Chair) BY A HOSTEL DONOR Anil Chawla, Co-Chair Bhairavi Shankar Arun Srivastava, Co-Chair Bindu Anand Youth Anoop Jairath Jyoti Gupta WHO WISHES TO STAY ANONYMOUS Pankaj Bajaj Nimmi Papneja Aarye Chandra (Team Leader) Rachna Goel Puja Amin Sahil Mehta (Team Leader) Hiten Makim Punita Bansal Pinky Luthra Communication & Golf To Educate Rachna Goel Administration Thank You! Ronish Pahwa Ray Khanna, Co-Chair Sangeeta Bajaj Rachna Goel Dr. Sam Patel, Co-Chair Sapna Mehta Rohit Bansal Shalini Chandra Montreal Chapter AIM for SEVA, Canada will create a family foundation Shawn Anand Shankar Adiseshan Arun Luthra Susmita Mithia Arun Srivastava, President in the donor’s name and funds will remain in Canada. Raj Lakhani Tripti Papneja Sugra Malek, Vice President Funds managed by Toronto Community Foundation Fund Raising Publication Finance & Accounting will yield 4% or $6,000 investment income every Amita Kanani Ritu Jain Vishal Luthra year, which will help support 12 children per year in Dr. Vipin Mithia Bala Menon Arti Patel Shankar Adiseshan Auditors perpetuity... Ram Chakerwarti Ila Lakhani Gera & Nirula LLP Sukhi Ghai Website Chartered Accountants Renu Khanna Shankar Adiseshan Ganesh Subramanian Ronish Pahwa Dr. Sangeeta Bajaj Vishal Luthra Chandra Papneja WWW.AIMFORSEVA.CA AIM FOR SEVA | CANADA | 19TH ANNUAL GALA | SEPTEMBER 13 | 2020 3 Message From Sheela Balaji “In the act of giving Dear Friends of AIM for SEVA, you grow, people Namaste. It has been a gratifying history of service by AIM for SEVA. In the last two grow and the country decades we forged deep into rural India by setting up hostels in many outposts. Our Swami Dayananda Saraswati grows.” ground expansion was matched with project finance support by AIM for SEVA Canada at critical junctures. I would like to specially thank Dr. Terry Papneja for spearheading the movement in Canada. Together with his wife Nimmi and a dedicated team of volunteers Our Founder and supporters, they have helped transform the lives of many students in rural India. I wish Swami Dayananda Saraswati Dr. Papneja good health and look forward to many more years of seva from him. Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati was a spiritual teacher, profound thinker, philosopher and Our Founder, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati always stressed that Danam, giving and sharing master of Vedanta. As a world renowned spiritual leader his influence on the world stage has was a mark of growth. Many of AIM for SEVA Canada’s supporters are well established professionals been enormous. in diverse fields and it is a matter of pride for us that when it comes to giving back to society by such individuals, it is AIM for SEVA first! Posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan, Swamiji was the founder of AIM for SEVA, Swami Dayananda Educational Trust, Arsha Vidya Research & Publication Trust and Arsha Vidya Whether it is the School backpack project, Walk to Educate, Virtual Annual Gala on account of Gurukulams in India and USA. Covid-19, AIM for SEVA Canada has pioneered many thematic fund raisers. In addition, many young volunteers from Canada are actively involved in spreading our message of educating Though deeply rooted in the richness of Indian tradition Pujya Swamiji was contemporary in rural India and such support from the next generation is treasured. Most importantly, these his thinking and approach to the issues of the day. Swamiji’s impeccable logic, brilliant analysis, efforts have borne fruit. Today, 80 % of our hostel students have either gone on to pursue higher erudition, precise use of language, and humour made him the greatest teacher of education or acquired employment in prestigious companies. Advaita Vedanta. As we move ahead in our journey of Seva, we look forward to AIM for SEVA Canada’s continued His discourses taught the most profound truths in such a simple language that it left the audience support. On behalf of our team in India, I wish AIM for SEVA Canada’s 19th Annual Virtual Gala spellbound. Swami Dayananda Saraswati did not confine himself just to Vedanta. all success. His benevolence and empathy extended to all civilizations, and all cultural forms has helped bring Warm regards, positive change in the lives of thousands of people. He strove to preserve, nurture and appreciate the diversity of human culture. There is no place for aggression, domination or conversion in his all embracing approach. Sheela Balaji Swamiji’s Global Vision – Nurturing the diversity of the human culture. Sheela Balaji Chairperson and Managing Trustee, AIM for SEVA, India AIM FOR SEVA | CANADA | 19TH ANNUAL GALA | SEPTEMBER 13 | 2020 5 AMRELI STUDENTS Message from Dr. Terry Papneja Dear AIM for SEVA Family, As we gather today for AIM for SEVA’s 19th Annual Virtual Fundraising Gala to support disadvantaged children who depend on us for safe accommodation and education, we pray for billions of people across the world who are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. This crisis will have a disproportionate impact on the poor, through bereavement, job loss, loss of remittances, rising prices, and disruptions in services such as education and health care. I am confident that, with your support, AIM for SEVA will have the strength and courage to meet the increased challenges to satisfy the needs of adversely impacted poor families. I thank all our donors and sponsors who, despite the economic ravages of the pandemic, have joined this virtual Gala and donated generously. We truly appreciate that, even though your incomes may have reduced dramatically, and your businesses are hurting, you continue to support AIM for SEVA graciously. Your support enables access to education and health care for the poor children from remote regions so that they may exit extreme poverty and become smart, productive adults who can shepherd their families to access comfortable living. The theme for this year’s special Gala is “A Night Among the Stars”! And, with God’s blessing, we indeed have many stars amongst us: The children in our hostels who access education through AIM for SEVA facilities are the all- important stars who will go on to make the world a better place for society at large; Our Donors and Sponsors are the stars who make this possible through their generosity; Our volunteers, here and in India, are the stars who dedicate themselves to “seva”; The staff at over 100 AIM facilities are the stars who keep the infrastructure together. And, to top it all off, we have today, amongst us, several fascinating stars from the film, sports, and speaker fraternity who bring glitter, laughter, passion, and words of wisdom at this unique event. Many thanks to these professionals for being with us so that we can have a very successful Virtual Gala this year! Today, we have over a thousand supporters attending this annual gala, many donating graciously to support our cause. We are providing a unique social experience right in their home to 65 groups, a total of 650 individuals, who have been delivered a lavish Indian vegetarian dinner prepared by award winning restaurant, The Host. All the proceeds raised at this event will support the essential work AIM for SEVA does to make education accessible for deserving children in urgent need in India. Most of the targeted children have a remote possibility of acquiring basic education due to lack of means and inaccessibility of schools. Each child receives free residential accommodation, education, tuition, vocational training, and opportunities for extra-curricular activities like handicrafts, music, dance and sports, along with nutritious meals and medical aid. God Bless Them All! Terry Papneja Dr. Terry Papneja KHATEGAON STUDENTS President, AIM for SEVA (Canada) AIM FOR SEVA | CANADA | 19TH ANNUAL GALA | SEPTEMBER 13 | 2020 7 A Night Among The Stars A Night Among The Stars This Year’s Celebrity Guests This Year’s Celebrity Guests Preity Zinta P.V. Sindhu Film Actress & Entrepreneur Olympic Badminton Player Preity Zinta has starred in many Indian films including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Veer-Zaraa, Dil Hai Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is an Indian professional badminton player. Having made her Tumhaara, Salaam Namaste. In addition to acting, Zinta has written a series of columns for BBC international debut in 2009, she rose to a career high ranking of no. 2 in April 2017. She is the News Online South Asia. She’s a social activist, television presenter, and an entrepreneur. first Indian to become the Badminton World Champion and the first Indian woman to earn an Olympic Silver medal. Anupam Kher Deepa Malik Film Actor & Author Paralympic Athlete Anupam Kher is an Indian actor and the former Chairman of Film and Television Institute Deepa Malik is an Indian athlete. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in the Paralympic of India. He is the recipient of two National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards. He has Games and won a Silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the shot put. She has also appeared in over 500 films in several languages, and written two books.