Sahasra Deepika Benefit, DC
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| www.sdie.org |
When: Sunday, November 15, 2015 @ 5PM
Hot Spot: Co Co. Sala, Washington, DC
Deets: According to the UN, more than half of all girls in India between the ages of five and nine are illiterate. The Sahasra Deepika Foundation for Education believes “It’s Her Turn” and aims to empower Indian girls with the gift of knowledge. With this goal in mind, Washington’s charitable class gathered inside the dimly lit, chocolaty interior of boutique restaurant Co Co. Sala on Sunday to support Sahara Deepika, a Banglore-based cause that provides education, shelter and other critical resources to impoverished young girls. Guests at the fundraiser snacked on light fusion-fare while perusing the available items for bid, to include unique pieces from local artisans and a limited edition holiday bracelet, with proceeds benefiting the innovative nonprofit. Montgomery County Council and education Committee Chair Craig Rice served as honorary auctioneer and coaxed an entertained audience to dig deeper into their pockets for the most valuable entry of the evening: suite tickets to a Washington Capitals game.
Inspired by his widowed mother whose unwavering determination, in spite of their meager means, made education a top goal, Dr. T.V. Ramakrishna established the foundation in 1998 with his wife Vijaya and built a safe haven of learning for destitute girls on four acres of land in the outskirts of Banglore, India. The husband and wife duo spread their philanthropic drive to daughter Sarva M. Rajendra, who is president of the foundation. Ms. Rajendra spoke of her passion for helping children succeed in the short documentary entitled Suma’s Story: It’s Her Turn, directed and produced by Ms. Media, which premiered at the fundraiser and chronicled Suma’s journey from abandoned child to role model for other girls. While attendees mingled following the premier, Ms. Rajendra reflected on one of her most rewarding moments to date:
"We just celebrated our 17th anniversary and invited all the kids who had been there back and to hear them all talking about how much the school has made an impact on them, you know some of them are working at a coffee shop, others are at an engineering school, and some of the children said I wasn’t the best student in school but I still feel like I can do something and be somebody and to hear them say that was a proud moment for me.”
Monika Samtani, CEO of Ms. Media, traveled to Banglore with her team to produce the film and summed up Sahasra Deepika’s dream best: “It’s her turn in terms of the country (mother India), it’s her turn in terms of the girls in India, It’s her turn in terms of girls all over the world.”
For more information, please visit http://sdie.org.
Written by Sakshi Jain.
Spotted: Sarva Rajendra, Guests
Hint For The Average Socialite: Tickets start at $125 are available now!
What's Trending: @sahasradeepika #62milliongirls
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