Community activist Gokal Gurnani, right, is presented with the ‘Making a Difference’ Award by India’s Consul General Pramathesh Rath in New York City on Oct. 24.

You could call it Broadway on Bowery Street! At ‘The Capitale,’ the heritage bank building now a downtown hot spot, were gathered noted actors Phylicia Rashad of Cosby Show fame, Madhur Jaffrey, Aasif Mandvi, and the Bombay Dreams team –– Manu Narayan, Krystal Kiran Garib, and Sriram Ganesan.

The event that brought them together on Oct. 24 was ‘A Million Dreams,’ the annual Children’s Hope (India) Gala and it was dedicated to the dreams of millions of children in India for education and the basics of health care.

Actress Phylicia Rashad, with her ‘Making a Difference’ Award, at the Children’s Hope gala event. (Photos: Courtesy, Children’s Hope)

Over 350 people had come together for the glittering event that raised $132,000 through sponsorships, ticket sales, and a silent auction.

The diamond sponsor, United Retail Group, and the platinum sponsors, Atlast Sportswear and the Sani Family Foundation, were recognized along with gold sponsors Andrew Sports Club, I.E. Industries, Telebrands, Tanzara International, and Raju and Vanita Mirchandani. Product donations for the evening were made by Johnnie Walker, Bilimoria Wines and Cobra Beer.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Aasif Mandvi. Maya Rajani, president of Children’s Hope, highlighted the various projects being funded by the organization. The ‘Making a Difference’ Awards were presented to Phylicia Rashad and community activist Gokal Gurnani by Consul General of India, Pramathesh Rath.

Rashad was honored for her caring and dedicated work with children at the Prasad Chikitsa, a charitable organization in Maharashtra’s Tansa region. She was a lead supporter in the development of a free eye hospital that restores eyesight to 2,000 patients a year. Rashad is the national spokesperson of the PRASAD Project, which was initiated by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda.

Gokal Gurnani was honored for giving free treatment at a charitable dispensary in Mumbai, where approximately 20,000 patients are treated every year.

Besides free consultations and examinations, the medicines are also provided at no cost. His trust also provides free vocational training to young women

Gurnani is an ardent advocate of one of the education initiatives of Children’s Hope, Guru Teg Bahadur School in Andheri, Mumbai. Here Children’s Hope has built a computer center and purchased equipment for a science lab along with free medical services to 650 children of the school.

The Bombay Dreams team performed a selection from their Broadway show. One of the offerings at the silent auction was donated by Hollywood screenwriter Tracey Jackson –– a dinner for six at Jackson’s Manhattan home, with the dinner cooked by master chef Madhur Jaffrey. The winning bid on this super dinner was $3,000.

Children’s Hope (India) is a New York-based nonprofit organization of women professionals that has been raising funds for children’s causes for the past decade.

(Compiled from a press release

by Priyanka Mehra)