Desai Foundation’s Lotus Festival to take place on September 8

- ADVERTISEMENT -

The Desai Foundation’s Lotus Festival will take place on September 8 at the Awe Collings Foundation Estate in Stow, Massachusetts.

The Lotus Festival supports the Desai Foundation’s vocational programs for rural women in Gujarat where they offer sewing classes, computer classes, sanitary napkin making and sales programs along with many other vocational programs to ensure that every rural woman has the opportunity to dream beyond her circumstances.

This year the event will feature ClassPass founder Payal Kadakia Pujji and world renowned Indian vocalist Falu who has performed at the White House. They will both perform together, according to a press release.

Pujji is a skilled performer and choreographer who has been dancing since she was 3-years-old and it was her love of dance that lead her to form ClassPass, which has now grown into a billion dollar business, landing her on lists such as Fortune’s Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs and Marie Claire’s Most Influential Women in America.

“The Desai Foundation is a nonprofit with a mission that I’ve been proud to be a part of since 2010! I am inspired by the organization’s work empowering girls in rural India to #DreamBeyond through health, livelihood and education programs,” Pujji said.

This year’s keynote speaker is Anjula Acharia; an entrepreneur, philanthropist, pop culture enthusiast and angel investor in ClassPass.

As a partner at Trinity Ventures, Acharia works to transform portfolio companies into truly global brands as well as work to further Trinity’s campaign for greater diversity in tech.

Prior to joining Trinity, Acharia co-founded Desi Hits!, which introduced mega-stars Lady Gaga, 50 cent and Britney Spears to India, and launched Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra with partner/investor Jimmy Iovine in the U.S.

Acharia has deep connections in the entertainment/music/tech world and was named as one of Billboard’s ‘International Power Players’ and ‘Top 40 Women in Music.’

She was most recently featured on AdWeek’s 2017 Disruptors List and also manages Priyanka Chopra.