Ray of Hope International Foundation (a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization) is a global charity focused on raising funds for underprivileged children and families in the USA and India. Ray of Hope will also develop its own programs to have a strong social impact.
Our mission is to support a wide range of charitable organizations and special causes in targeted communities to foster, enhance, and empower socio-economical, educational, financial, cultural, creative, and intellectual growth of the underprivileged by focusing on utmost specific needs and projects.
The foundation was launched to make a direct contribution to specific needs and programs that are key issue areas in the world, especially in India. Some examples of these issue areas are access to quality healthcare in rural areas, sanitation & hygiene, leveraging technology as an enabler, etc.
Additionally, for smaller Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in India who are not registered in the USA, Ray of Hope will be the gateway to wonderful supporters, donors, patrons, volunteers and friends like you to help them advance their impactful social causes.
This organization is governed by a Board Of Directors and supported by a dedicated core team that brings vast experience to help this organization grow.
Bios of Board Members:
Co-Founder & President: Anwesha Dutta
Anwesha Dutta has 21+ years of experience in healthcare technology transformation. She joined Deloitte's Life Sciences & Healthcare Practice in 2021 to follow her passion of making a difference in healthcare through technology innovation & equity. She focuses on Monitor Deloitte's Strategy offering through her expertise in leading large cross-functional teams in the areas of global transformation, technology strategy, operating model, consumer engagement, emerging tech, IT outsourcing, health equity, and smart tech enabled transformation at health systems. Prior to this she was at a fortune 300 company UHS' Info Services Exec team. Anwesha leverages her creative thinking, collaborative solutioning, team building, executive communication and organizational skills to solve complex challenges.
Before UHS, Anwesha was at PwC for 11 years as a seasoned director in the Tech Consulting practice. She helped launch, scale and operate the Health IT business. She completed PwC's exclusive global leadership program Genesis Park for hand picked top performing directors, and was awarded Philadelphia Business Journal minority business leader award. She also served in the role of of US Tech Consulting Strategy & Operations Director, responsible for overseeing a practice of 4000+ professionals.
Anwesha has been running her own 70 member Indian classical dance school since 2004, Nava Nritya Dance Academy, which has produced 60+ professional dance productions & have performed for 76ers, & national TV channels. She particularly enjoys mentoring the next generation in leadership, personal branding & cross cultural dexterity.
Co-Founder & Treasurer: Hemang Desai
Hemang Desai, is a seasoned business professional specializing in the areas of corporate social responsibility (CSR), marketing, sales and business management. Currently, he is the global program director for the award-winning SAP Social Sabbatical portfolio, within SAP’s CSR organization, responsible for end-to-end management of the pro bono volunteering programs.
He started his career as a marketing professional having held various leadership roles within the global marketing organization at SAP & previously, at the Philadelphia Inquirer, before following his passion to move into the CSR organization. His key responsibilities within Ray of Hope are around financial management, fundraising, internal operations and relationship management with partner organizations. Hemang also serves as the Treasurer and Manager of Nava Nritya Dance Academy (www.navanritya.org).
Member of the Board: Sumit Gulati
Sumit Gulati has experience and expertise in financial, marketing, sales and operations in the hotel, restaurant and catering industry. Over the last fifteen+ years Sumit has organized and managed large and small events. In the last five years he has been involved in charitable fundraising for the Nava Nritya Dance Academy.
Currently, Sumit is working with a leading Managed Services company in the San Francisco Bay Area handling $4 million in annual revenue.
Member of the Board: Mathangi Dandapani
Mathangi Dandapani is an entrepreneurial leader with a passion for driving social change. A graduate of Fordham University she has held roles as a community development specialist, licensed clinical social worker and a mental health supervisor. Mathangi co-founded a business that designed, manufactured and marketed handcrafted resort wear for women. The key differentiator for this venture was fair trade and a socially conscious supply chain.
She is an active contributor to the Episcopal Academy Parent Association. Currently she is a volunteer in Episcopal Academy’s partnership program with the St. Marc’s school in Haiti, where she is driving structured needs assessment and data collection to channelize community development services.
Ray of Hope’s Core Team:
Committee members - supporting event programming and fundraising:
Alesia Childs
Anitha Kannan
Dr. Anuja Dokras-Jagasia
Bella Rushi
Mahendra Desai
Milly Parekh
Minaz Mavany
Dr. Monica Mainigi
Nava Nritya Dance Academy Family
Youth volunteer group:
Aratrika Das
Nishitha Kannan
Saadhana Jakka
Sahil Desai