Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Chapter Announces 2026 Gala, Featuring Special Guests Vinita Gupta and Desh Deshpande

The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Chapter announced its annual fundraising gala, taking place on Sunday, May 3, 2026, bringing together civic leaders, philanthropists, and community supporters to advance the Foundation’s mission of nourishing children and strengthening access to education through school meals.

The evening will feature special guests Vinita Gupta [Silicon Valley entrepreneur, author, and journalist] and Desh Deshpande, Chairman Emeritus, The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA, who helped introduce Akshaya Patra’s mission to communities across the United States and has played a pivotal role in expanding its reach. The program will also include a musical performance by singer Shirish Nimgaonkar.

“Boston has always been a city that leads with heart and action,” said Rakesh Kamdar, Chapter Advisor, Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Chapter. “This gala is an invitation to the region’s leaders and philanthropists to come together around a proven, scalable solution, ensuring children have the nourishment they need to learn, thrive, and dream big.”

This event is supported by a dedicated community of volunteers and youth ambassadors who help mobilize local engagement, build awareness, and inspire the next generation of changemakers committed to ending classroom hunger.

An Evening of Purpose and Community

The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA Boston Gala will include:

●      A program highlighting the impact of school meal initiatives and the community’s role in expanding them

●      Opportunities for sponsorship and partnership for local businesses and community leaders

●      A call to action for donors and advocates to join a growing movement against classroom hunger

●      Special guest remarks from Vinita Gupta and Desh Deshpande

●      A musical performance by Shirish Nimgaonkar

Building on a Strong Year of Community Support

The Boston Chapter also extends heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors and supporters who made the 2025 Boston Golf Tournament a success. Special thanks to Parina Deva and the Deva family, whose leadership and commitment were instrumental in organizing the tournament and advancing the chapter’s mission. Their support, alongside the generosity of corporate and community partners, continues to fuel meaningful progress toward ensuring children receive the nutrition they need to learn and thrive.

Special Thanks

The Boston Chapter extends sincere appreciation to the chapter’s leaders and volunteers whose dedication and hard work have helped make this event possible, including:

●      Manju Seth, Boston Community Ambassador

●      Rajeev Jain, Chapter Chair

●      Samantha Ganglani, Chapter Chair

●      Yoshika Sherring, Chapter Chair

●      Ajita Bhat, Chapter Chair

●      Nidhi Singhal, Chapter Chair

●      Bela Chandhok, Chapter Chair

●      Venkat Kolluri, Chapter Chair and Youth Coordinator

●      Neena Grover, Executive Team and Youth Coordinator

●      Rakesh Kamdar, Chapter Advisor

Event Details

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST
Venue: Burlington Marriott, 1 Burlington Mall Rd, Burlington, MA 01803
Tickets and Sponsorships: https://give.apusa.org/event/akshaya-patra-usa-boston-gala-2026/e762454

About The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA

The Akshaya Patra Foundation USA is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending classroom hunger in India by providing free mid-day meals to over 2.35 million children across 24,000+ government schools each day. Over the past two decades, the organization has developed and operates 78 innovative centralized kitchens and has delivered over 5 billion meals, making it the largest school meal program in the world. For more information and to support our initiatives, please visit [https://www.apusa.org].