Reena Bhardwaj (ANI)–
A 16-year-old Indian American, Tanishka Dhariwal, raised more than $10,000 for India’s PM CARES Fund towards helping those affected by the horrific train accident in the state of Odisha earlier this year.
Tanishka presented the funds to the Consul General of India in New York, Randhir Jaiswal, which came from her friends of diverse backgrounds, underscoring the unity and global community spirit nurtured among these young individuals.
“I was able to start a GoFundMe page. I reached out to schools, districts, friends and family and raised over USD 10,000. Hopefully, this money will be able to go and help the people who have been affected deeply by this. I believe a little goes a long way and hopefully this is a good start to it,” Dhariwal told ANI.
The donation ceremony was attended by Haridas Kotewala, patron member of Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA); Ashok Sancheti, advisor at Jaipur Foot USA; Ravi Jargarh, joint secretary of RANA; and Chandra Sukhwal, a senior member of RANA.
Tanishka Dhariwal, accompanied by her parents Nitin and Sapna Dhariwal, was also present.
Prem Bhandari, president of RANA and founding chair of Jaipur Foot USA, underscored the exceptional efforts undertaken by young Indian-Americans like Tanishka.
“In Tanishka’s heartfelt gesture, it’s not about the amount. It’s about the emotion behind it. This also highlights stronger ties that are still alive among U.S.-born Indian youth and their homeland. These connections take on greater significance against the backdrop of India’s ongoing pursuit of self-reliance under PM Modi,” Prem Bhandari told ANI.
Tanishka is a youth member of RANA, a robust and influential organisation representing non-resident Rajasthanis around the globe. With a mission to unite and empower those hailing from Rajasthan living outside India.
On March 30, RANA members KK and Chandra Mehta made a contribution of ₹100,00,000 (₹10 crore) to the cause. This act of compassion and generosity echoed their commitment to making a significant impact.
Bhandari applauded 16-year-old Tanishka’s efforts in the face of Odisha tragedy.
Tanishka says she will continue to raise funds for victims of the tragedy in Odisha where at least 288 people lost their lives after a collision involving three trains. Another 1,200 people were seriously injured in the crash.
Indian American teen raises $10,000 to aid Odisha train crash victims and their families
