By Juhi Varma
HOUSTON: The fifth annual DISHA USA Diwali Gala brought a dazzling mix of festive colors, civic engagement and delicious Indian cuisine to the GSH Event Center on Friday evening, drawing approximately 500 guests, including 50 elected officials from across Greater Houston.
Emcees Shephali Kadia and Chandni Pal guided the program, while more than 15 young volunteers worked behind the scenes to keep the evening running smoothly.
The evening opened with a traditional lamp lighting, and a moving performance by five students from Swarsangam School of Music—Stawya Agrawal, Athrv Diwedi, Prisha Singh, Ritwik Singh, and Varenya Agarwal—who sang both the American and Indian national anthems.
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock served as guest of honor.
People who make this country their home are welcomed as fellow Texans and Americans, regardless of how many generations their families have lived there, Blacklock said.
“The world can be a dark and dangerous place in many ways, and the only reason that I can stand before you tonight in this position is because when I was a little boy, my parents made our little house a place of light, hope, faith, and love,” he said
Blacklock grew up in Missouri City. He was appointed the court’s 28th chief justice in January 2025 by Governor Greg Abbott and previously served as general counsel to the governor.
Blacklock closed by saying the gathering showed a shared belief—expressed in different ways—that the light of good triumphs over the darkness of evil.
Keynote speaker Rakhi Israni, a Houston native, attorney, entrepreneur, and community organizer, reminded guests that community is built by those who show up. She urged more Indians and Hindus to take an active role in local politics—by voting, running for office, and staying engaged in civic life.
Israni linked anti-Indian and anti-Hindu hostility to public rhetoric, educational curricula, and limited representation in policymaking. She cited a 2025 survey finding that one in four Indian Americans had been called a slur and nearly one in five had stopped wearing Indian clothing in public
She argued that economic success does not ensure minority protection without political voice.
“Ask the Indians of East Africa, expelled from Uganda in 1972 after three generations of being there,” she said. “Ask the Jewish people who learned it at the most terrible cost in history…economic power without political power is absolutely suicide.”
Invoking Arjuna’s choice on the battlefield in the Bhagavad Gita, she told guests that sitting on the sidelines is not an option and urged everyone to vote on November 3 and in every election.
Disha USA presented its Lifetime Service Recognition Award to Dr. Sen Pathak. Born in 1940 to a farming family in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Pathak became one of the world’s foremost experts in cancer genetics, spending more than five decades at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Pathak has given decades of quiet service to Houston’s Hindu community as a founding member of the Hindu Worship Society, the first Hindu temple in Greater Houston, and has been recognized by the City of Houston for both his community service and scientific contributions.
When he came on stage to accept the award, Dr. Pathak spoke about starting Diwali celebrations at MD Anderson Cancer Center more than 40 years ago and encouraged younger generations to stay connected to their roots while working hard.
“The award that is given to me today, I am not worthy of that award,” he said. “There are so many people from different parts of India who got together, and we started Hindu worship society. So, any recognition you are giving to me, I will be receiving on their behalf. A single person cannot do anything. You need a community.”
Disha USA recognized young achievers Varsha Vasu for social impact and service, Kartiki Chaudhary for sports, and Haripriya Sundaramurthy for STEM, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Disha USA founder Ashish Agrawal took the stage to discuss the importance of civic engagement and introduce the DISHA Connect app. Available on both Apple iOS and Android, the mobile app is designed to keep Houston’s Hindu community informed and connected. Agrawal said the goal is for the app to become a valuable resource for community members.
Roughly 100 guests downloaded DISHA Connect during the live demonstration.
In a Fort Bend County race, a candidate lost by one vote, he said. In another race, 195 votes were cast. There was a 53-vote margin, about 300 eligible Hindu American voters in the district, and roughly 30 who voted.
While the Hindu-American community has achieved remarkable success in education, business, medicine, technology, and other fields, he noted that more work remains in civic participation. Greater civic involvement, he said, helps ensure the community has a voice in shaping its future.
Guests enjoyed a Diwali skit and a Kahoot trivia quiz. The program also included an impromptu garba dance on stage.
Disha USA received recognitions from Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy and Fulshear City Council member Abhi Utturkar.
Major sponsors included Uma and Gopal Aggarwal of Tara Capital, Shradha and Rishi Bhutada, Kelly and Dhaval Thakkar, Yogesh Thakkar of DISHA Capital, Bharati and Dr. Dasika Narasimham, Saroj and Subhash Gupta, Dr. Shilpa and Malla Mekala, and Dakshina and Umang Mehta.
The evening underscored a consistent message from its speakers: community is sustained by those who participate, whether through service, celebration, or civic engagement.
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