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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know IAF Honors Six Women, Young Achievers At 15th Women’s Achievement Awards Gala On Long Island M ore than 200 guests gathered Sunday, March 1, at The Sapphire in Hicksville to celebrate the achievements of women leaders and young scholars during the 15thWomen’s Achievement Awards Gala hosted by the Indian American Forum (IAF). Held duringWomen’s History Month, the annual gala recognizes women for their courage, commit- ment and service to their communities. The event has become a longstanding tradition for the organization, which for the past 15 years has honored women who have made significant contributions in professional and civic life. IAF Chairperson Indu Jaiswal opened the evening by welcoming guests and thanking supporters and attendees. Gala Chair Shammi Singh and IAF Founder President Dr. Bobby Kumar Kalotee, who also serves as chairman of the Nassau County Human Rights Com- mission, provided remarks outlining the history and purpose of the awards. The banquet hall was filled with elected officials, phy- sicians, entrepreneurs, community leaders and families of the honorees. “This event celebrates the strength, resilience and leadership of women who inspire and transform the communities around them,” organizers said. This year’s honorees included Dr. Dolly Manwar, a physician and philanthropist; entrepreneur Prabha Golia; Pratibha Maldonado, the first South Asian woman to serve as commanding officer of a NewYork City police precinct; and Sunita Manjrekar, director of employment at Nassau County’s Department of Social Services. The gala also recognized two student achievers: Aarthi Palaniappan, a senior at Herricks High School, and Harnoor Joneja, a senior at Jericho High School. During the program, honorees participated in a moderated discussion where they shared their experi- ences and insights. The session was led by moderators RoopamMaini, Chanbir Kaur, Dr. Nita Mehta and Dr. Pratichi Goenka.Each honoree received a commemora- tive plaque, official citations and bouquets recognizing their achievements. A commemorative journal featuring congratulatory messages and advertisements from community mem- bers and elected officials was also unveiled during the evening. Members of the journal committee — Bina Sabapathy, RoopamMaini and Sanju Sharma — joined organizers on stage for the release. Several elected officials and community leaders attended the event, including NewYork State As- semblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar; Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips; Oyster Bay Town Supervi- sor Jen DeSena; North Hempstead Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava; and Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker. Suffolk County Legislator Deborah Misir also attended, while Harry Malhotra represented Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. Representing the Consulate office was Raja Laxmi Kadam. Among other notable attendees were Nilima Madan, president of the Association of Indians in America (National); Gobind Munjal, former national president of AIA; Beena Kothari, president of AIA’s NewYork chapter; Dr. Nirmal Mattoo, president of the Indian American Association of Connecticut; Vimal Goyal, president of IDP and IAF; and several commu- nity leaders, physicians and business leaders. The program began with the U.S. and Indian na- tional anthems performed by Jyoti Gupta, Bina Sabapa- thy, RoopamMaini and Dr. Jag Mohan Kalra. A Ganesh Vandana dance performance was presented by Hitanshi, a student of RS International, under the guidance of Shilpa Jhurani. Students from Columbia University’s Capella Group and COLUMBIA SUR also performed contemporary musical pieces. Dinner was served by the Sapphire banquet hall staff, and the evening concluded with a vote of thanks acknowledging volunteers, board members, sponsors, media representatives and supporters who helped orga- nize the event. Special appreciation was also extended to the Bedi family for sponsoring fire blankets distributed during the program. By a StaffWriter PHOTOS: IAF Jennifer Rajkumar, New York State Assemblywoman; Jen DeSena, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor; Indu Jaiswal, chairperson of the Indian American Forum; Elaine Phillips, Nassau County Comptroller; and Raj Laxmi, Consul for Trade at the Consulate General of India, attend the 15th Women’s Achievement Awards Gala hosted by the Indian American Forum in Hicksville, N.Y., March 1. Young Achievers Aarthi Palaniappan and Harnoor Joneja. Roopam Maini, Indu Jaiswal, Bina Sabapathy, honorees Pratima Maldonado, Sunita Manjrekar and Dr. Dolly Manwar, Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, Harry Malhotra, Shammi Singh, Anju Sharma and Beena Kothari pose for a photo during the 15th Women’s Achievement Awards Gala hosted by the Indian American Forum in Hicksville, N.Y., March 1. Honorees pose with committee members and sponsors during the 15th Women’s Achievement Awards Gala hosted by the Indian American Forum in Hicksville, N.Y., March 1. Students from Columbia University’s COLUMBIA SUR perform during the 15th Women’s Achievement Awards Gala hosted by the Indian American Forum in Hicksville, N.Y., March 1 15 COVER STORY March 13, 2026