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Chair, Board of Trustees
Dinesh Khosla received an LL.M. and J.S.D. degrees from Yale Law School. Human rights, civil disobedience and not for profit law are his areas of expertise. He served on the Yale Law School’s Executive Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Policy Sciences Center. In 1983, Dinesh Khosla was invited to be the founding faculty of CUNY Law School. He is one of the founders of the Hindu Samaj Temple in Mahwah, New Jersey. He is the Chairman of SDK Foundation for Human Dignity which, through the Artistic Freedom Initiative, protects persecuted artists throughout the world.
President
Priya Gupta Israni has spearheaded India Heritage Center since 2016. Priya received her master’s in Clinical psychology. She also holds a degree in Fashion and had a successful business in couture fashion apparel. She has had an extensive career in marketing consumer products at Home Shopping Network. She won the best designer award from the late Queen of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi. She is passionate about causes related to special needs kids and women’s empowerment.
Email: priya.israni@taara.org
Vice President
Rajiv Advani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Rutgers University, however has spent most of his professional life in Information Technology. He is currently the head of technology and cybersecurity at Tharanco Group, a major apparel conglomerate. Also known as the “Dealmaster”, Rajiv is a travel aficionado who has visited over 100 cities in more than 30 countries. He is also the founder/creator of Mileopedia.com, his own travel blog. Rajiv manages the organizations’ finances along with contributing to all technology and operational efforts.
Email: rajiv.advani@taara.org
Vice President
Lavina Datwani is a pharmacist by education but feels blessed to have been able to stay home to care for her family. She is a proud Indian-American who has been living in the United States for more than half of her life but feels strong ties to her native homeland. Through IHC For Her, she works to help rescue young girls from this life of captivity and servitude, both in India and in the US, and to implement programs which will empower these survivors to reintegrate back into society as socially and financially independent beings.
Email: lavina.datwani@taara.org
Director
As a Punjabi American, Cristy Kaur fell in love with her culture from an early age. Born in Zambia and educated in England, Cristy has a deep commitment to and respect for her Indian heritage. In addition to her philanthropic passion, Cristy is a Vice President for The Heim Group, an all-female financial advisory team at Merrill Lynch. As a Senior Financial Advisor, Cristy assists clients in achieving their financial goals. Cristy has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hofstra University and a MBA in finance from Baruch College. Cristy, her husband and two sons live in Morristown, NJ.
Email: cristy.kaur@taara.org
Director
Urvashi Mishra is a wedding and event planner. She enjoys helping couples design their perfect wedding by incorporating their background, culture, careers, and anything that inspires them. With a degree from the Prestigious IHM, Mumbai, work experience in hotels, strong ties with Bollywood and Indian culture, Urvashi brings in a fresh approach to each event with an authentic twist. Her expertise in organization and event planning enables us to offer the community with unique opportunities to relish in what it means to be an Indian American. She is also the Co-founder and former Partner of Kulture Kool LLC.
Email: urvashi.mishra@taara.org
Director
Born & raised in Mumbai, Nishita Datwani, moved to the USA to earn her BFA at the Parsons School of Design. After designing for companies like Ralph Lauren, J Crew & Gap, she chose to join the family business where she currently manages a group of real estate entities and retail pharmacies. Nishita combines her marketing and design background to continually seek innovative ways to empower the survivors while bringing awareness to the issue. A fitness enthusiast and avid athlete, she is also a certified personal trainer. Nishita & her husband Amit, live in Short Hills NJ, with their two children.
Email: nishita.datwani@taara.org
Director
Mudit Gupta has a background in Business Administration. He is the President of iStore, an Apple Premier Partner, and has expanded his business to multiple locations in New Jersey and New York. Mudit, his wife Amrita and their daughter Arushi, love to travel. He enjoys all things in life that involve sports, food or both! When he isn’t working on his business or spending time with friends and family, you can find him catching up on his favorite cooking shows.
Email: mudit.gupta@taara.org
Director
Shilpa Madhyanapu, born and raised in India, moved to the USA to earn her MBA. Having lived here for more than half her life, she currently works at Colgate-Palmolive, New York in the finance division. She loves to travel and has visited over 45 countries. She is also passionate about working with children. At TAARA, she plays a vital role in managing the organizations’ finances. She hopes to give back to the community with work she is doing. Shilpa lives in Totowa with her husband and son.
Email: shilpa.madhyanapu@taara.org
Director
Alka Rathod, a resident of Mumbai, India, embodies a beautiful blend of traditional values and modern thinking. She holds a postgraduate degree in apparel marketing and merchandising from the esteemed National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi. Throughout her career, Alka has explored diverse industries such as fashion, real estate, and event management. She has also owned and operated a wellness center called BeYOU. Alka is actively involved in social welfare as a founding member of the Soch Sayani group. She is grateful for her loving in-laws, supportive husband, and two adorable children. Residing in a joint family has provided Alka with invaluable opportunities to cultivate love, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and empathy in her life.
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Director
Priya is multi degreed with qualifications in commerce, IT and Fashion. Her professional journey encompasses a diverse range of experiences within the fashion accessories, apparel, and home décor industries. She played a pivotal role in spearheading the integration of women’s fashion mobile carry cases into the mobile industry during the early 2000s, collaborating with numerous prominent mobile manufacturers and carriers. She also serves as a fine arts consultant and is deeply dedicated to addressing the issue of sex trafficking. Furthermore her philanthropic endeavors extend to hosting numerous events and initiatives aimed at supporting orphanages, schools, medical facilities, cultural events and victims of natural disasters.
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Director
Dr. Niketa Govindani was born in London, England and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Hackensack, New Jersey with 18 years of experience in her field. She has a special interest in adolescent Gynecology and managing high risk pregnancies. She is passionate about her work, community health, child advocacy, and raising awareness about sexual trafficking.
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Director
Born in New Delhi, raised in the USA, Shilpa Sadhwani is an Indian American with a strong passion for philanthropy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Information Systems from Queens College and has spent the majority of her professional life working in Financial Services and continues to do so today. Shilpa is passionate about helping to eradicate sexual trafficking and making the world a safer place for adults and children. When she is not working or spending time with family and friends, you can often find Shilpa in the gym. She is very much a fitness enthusiast and passionate about nutrition and meditation. Shilpa lives in Bergen County, New Jersey with her husband, her twin boys and her labradoodle Lucky.
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Director
Social Media Co-ordinator
Divya graduated from Boston University’s College of Communications in 2020 with a degree in mass communications and public relations. With past experience working at Pfizer, Divya currently works on the Digital Engagement team for LifeSci Communications, a communications firm dedicated to developing stories for healthcare clients. With IHC For Her, Divya is able to combine her marketing expertise and passion for helping others to empower women in the Indian community. Divya is also an avid traveler and loves to immerse herself in the cultures of the countries that she visits.
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