Indu Soora admitted that when she chaired the first Bollywood Nights event in 2009, "I did not have any faith that it would turn out to be such a beautiful night."
Nine years later, "as I'm looking around the hall, my heart is filled with joy ... because of all of your support," she told guests of the 10th annual event, held March 3 at the Metroplex in Little Rock. "I think you should ... pat all of your backs."
Dr. Sara Tariq joined Soora in co-chairing this year's Bollywood Nights, a gala described as "night of immersion into all the senses of India" and serving as a major fundraiser for the Harmony Health Clinic, a nonprofit free medical and dental clinic for the uninsured. Guests -- many of whom were attired in various garb native to India's states and union territories -- were treated to cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before sitting down to dance performances by Desi Groover; Anklets & Sneakers, Indu Soora's group; and the South Asian Students in Healthcare, made up of medical students at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
A fashion show preceded the buffet dinner provided by Taj Mahal Indian Kitchen: vegetable pakora, hakka noodles, gobi manchurian, daal tarka, chicken tikka masala and more.
Special presentations, and a Harmony Health client testimony, also made up the agenda.
Events sound engineer Marques Holt (Native Sound) helped to perform announcement duties and also made a special appeal for late donations.
With $3,000 still to go on the fundraising goal of $100,000, Rajesh Chokhani of Welspun & Associates took up the baton, announcing that his company would match any late donations up to $8,000. As the evening ended, the total was up to $103,000.
As always, guests closed out the event by showing off their own dance skills to recorded music.
-- Story and photos by Helaine R. Williams
High Profile on 03/11/2018