Board & Staff

Board

Mukund Mehta, J.D., CPA
President, Board of Directors
Mukund Mehta joined Caltex Oil Company in Bombay, India, in 1964 and joined the company’s headquarters New York in 1971. He has an MBA, CPA and JD from Fordham University and LLM from NYU, NY. Mr. Mehta is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a Member of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Law Bars. He has been Moot Court Judge at NYU School of Law for last 20 years, and now serves the South Asian community and advocates for senior causes as President of Indo-American Senior Citizens Center of New York, Inc. which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary.

Amit Sood, D.D.S.
Vice President
Dr. Sood graduated from NYU (New York University) College of Dentistry where he was in the Honors program in Prosthodontics, being among only Six that were chosen from a class of 350 students. He started his private practice right after Graduation in Jackson Heights and has been there for the past 20+ years, even as he has grown his practice to other areas of New York. He lives with his wife who is a Board Certified Psychiatrist and son Sandeep who has just begun 1st Grade.

Neetu Jain, C.P.A
Treasurer
Neetu Jain is a CA, CWA from India and a NYS licensed CPA. She runs her private tax and accounting practice with her husband and partner Hemant Jain CPA. 
Mrs. Jain is not only an enterprising business owner but also a dynamic member of the community and has volunteered with a range of organizations including India Home, Jain temple, Herricks school committees, Black Women Enterprises, Long Island Development Corporation, Young Indian Cultural Group, and the talent night group. She has actively supported India Home right from inception – be it brain storming current issues or future plans, meeting consultants, fundraising, accounting and taxation etc. With her appetite to serve the community and her professional and personal capabilities, she continues to contribute to the mission and vision of Ind

Jaya Bahadkar, R.N.
Jaya Bahadkar earned her B.S. in Public Health Nursing in Delhi.  She received her Operating Room training at Sloan Kettering in New York and went on to work in various hospitals and nursing homes in the New York area, serving as supervisor at Little Neck Nursing Home.
The passion Jaya brought to her career in nursing comes through in her community service as well. Over the past 25 years, she has played key roles in various organizations. She is the Cultural Chair of the Indian Association of Long Island and Cultural Chair for the Indian American Forum and the South Asian American Political Committee.  She continues to work with seniors through India Home and is also Vice President of the National Indo-American Association for Senior Citizens.

Bala Krishnamurthy MA, MS
Secretary
Ms. Bala Krishnamurthy has been nurturing and directing software development teams and designing software for several decades in high tech industries. She has worked with corporations such as Unimation, Westinghouse, HelpMate Robotics Inc. Staubli, DRS_PCT, Hamilton Sundstrand, ASML (formerly SVGL), and Nestle. In 2007 Ms. Krishnamurthy was the first female recipient of the robotic industry’s premier honor, the Engelberger Robotics Award in the Technology Development Category.

During the 2020 pandemic, Ms. Krishnamurthy brought together a virtual diverse group of seniors and hosted lectures and discussions to alleviate loneliness and foster camaraderie. She now continues to recommend, present and interview speakers on topics of interest to India Home South Asian seniors and enjoys working behind the scenes with the Board & staff to streamline technical processes that improve the professional public image of the organization.

Ali Najmi
Ali Najmi is an attorney in private practice focusing on criminal defense and personal injury. Politically active, Mr. Najmi, has succeeded in increasing the political involvement of the South Asian community. Starting in 2010, he was Council Member David Weprin’s Legislative director for two years. In 2015 Mr. Najmi ran for City Council and was endorsed by the New York Times. Mr. Najmi has been an early supporter of India Home and continues to advocate for more resources for immigrant senior programs and issues.

Sunil Aggarwal, MS, MBA
Financing is problem-solving. Sunil Aggarwal realized more than two decades ago that New York’s nonprofits and small businesses would excel in a competitive market using solution based project financial planning. In 2009, “ThinkForward” became the working model for an advisory dedicated to helping small and mid-sized enterprises navigate the funding challenges inherent to mission-oriented organizations. To-date, Sunil’s practice has structured and placed $2.5B in bonds, loans, and tax credits, specifically for this unique segment of companies.

Always and especially during economic downturns, nonprofits benefit from making informed decisions based on expert analysis of ALL good options. Sunil’s experiences as Vice President of the NYC Economic Development Corp. (1990-1997) and later as a senior investment banker (1999-2008) provided early exposure to a wide range of development financing tools. Through the years, Sunil has maintained and expanded relationships with NY economic development agencies, banks, bond and tax credit equity investors, and community development lenders— contributing to the long-term viability and success of hundreds of NY nonprofits.

Staff

Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi
Executive Director

Vasundhara Kalasapudi, M.D. is a geriatric psychiatrist and Executive Director of India Home. After graduating from Andhra Medical College, Vasundhara did research at L’Hopital Cochin in Paris and The Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She trained in geriatric psychiatry at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Currently, she works in Queens in a variety of psychiatric settings to provide care for developmentally disabled and other vulnerable populations. Vasundhara was moved to start India Home when she could not find culturally appropriate medical services for her aging parents. She has steered the organization to become a pioneering nonprofit serving vulnerable South Asian seniors in New York City since 2008 through culturally appropriate senior centers, recreational activities, and advocacy efforts. Working on long-term goals for India Home to provide affordable senior housing, nursing homes, palliative care, and more, Vasundhara continues to be a changemaker and visionary in creating accessible senior services for South Asians in New York City.

Shaaranya Pillai
Shaaranya has been at India Home for over four years. Through her grant writing and development work she has helped the organization grow more than twofold. She has led community outreach projects at IH that have reached thousands of community members with education and resources. A strong advocate for South Asian senior rights, she has testified to city and state governments to ensure funding for our seniors. Her event planning, communications, and creative skills have helped to increase India Home’s visibility and rapport, including rebranding of the logo and website. Prior to India Home, Shaaranya worked in academia at her alma mater of New York University and at nonprofits in Sri Lanka and NYC, cultivating her interest in cultural competence and sensitivity. Shaaranya is also a professional singer, extensively trained in and a regular performer of the Carnatic music style.

Kavita Shah
Kavita Shah began her career in finance, spending ten years at Lehman Brothers while acquiring a wide range of finance, accounting, and management knowledge. Following her tenure with the company, she worked in various fields, including retail and events planning. However, it wasn’t until India Home that Kavita found an opportunity to pursue her lifelong passion for connecting and helping people.

As a Program Director, Kavita started many programs for the seniors, including courses for drawing and painting, creative writing, yoga, cooking and craft, low-impact dance, and even a cards club. It was in this position that Kavita’s unique personality and creative flare truly started to shine. In addition to the many programs she helped initiate, Kavita has collaborated with organizations like the Rubin Museum of Art, Telugu Literary and Cultural Association, and Gujarati Samaj of New York to organize dances performed by the seniors. She also was instrumental in supporting our senior community during India Home’s COVID emergency response, offering programs over a virtual platform and organizing grocery deliveries to the vulnerable senior community. Through her service, Kavita reminds us that despite the world’s uncertainties, humanity, kindness, and unwavering love will always prevail

Gourab Nayan
Gourab is a certified health education specialist and MPH graduate from St. John’s University, New York currently working as a Program Manager and Health Educator at India Home Inc. He started as a program coordinator in India Home in 2019 and since then has been committed to administering programs focused on well-being, benefits, and empowerment for seniors. Gourab represented India Home and showcased its great works and achievements in several national and regional conferences and also advocated for public health-friendly bills in the New York City Council. Gourab looks forward to deploying his multilingual skills, proficient program administering ability, and most importantly passion for helping the underserved as well as compassion for seniors to achieve the long-term benevolent goals of India Home in the form of providing affordable senior housing, palliative care, culturally competent health/ nutrition education, creative aging, adult empowerment programs and more.

Geetha Jamballi
Geetha joined India Home in 2020. manages multiple seniors’ centers, where her unwavering commitment has earned her the affection and admiration of all. Geetha Jamballi, hailing from southern part of India is a beacon of selfless dedication to social service. Her life’s mission revolves around improving the lives of others, especially senior citizens in her community. With a quiet demeanor that belies her powerful impact, she orchestrates an array of activities, games, events, arts and crafts that bring joy and companionship to the elderly. Geetha is a multifaceted individual with a diverse set of interests. She finds solace in the great outdoors, often indulging in hobbies like hiking and biking, and enjoys long walks with her family members. She is also a talented artist, with a passion for drawing, painting, and various arts and crafts. Her creativity extends to the realm of fashion as well, as she’s known for her expertise in draping exquisite sarees and adding a touch of elegance to everything she does

Nargis Ahmed
Dil Afroz Ahmed, also known as Nargis Ahmed, embarked on her American journey in 1981 as a student at Dhaka University in Bangladesh. Shortly after, she pursued an Associate’s degree in Travel and Tourism at ITT Taylor Business Institute, kickstarting a career spanning over 25 years in a Corporate Travel agency. Her multifaceted role encompassed office management, client relationship management, and serving as a Travel Consultant. In 1986, she made history as the news anchor for “Ruposhi Bangla,” the pioneering Bengali television program broadcasted beyond Bangladesh’s borders. Ahmed co-founded Bangladesh Shangshod in 1988, a pivotal organization providing vital support to newly arrived Bangladeshi immigrants. She became the first and remains the only elected female president of Bangladesh Society Inc., a monumental milestone in her community service journey. Ahmed’s commitment extended to educational efforts, notably the ‘Bangla School,’ where she facilitated the learning of traditional Bengali arts and language for children of Bangladeshi descent.

Ahmed’s forays into mainstream local politics were equally impactful, advocating for the Asian American Democratic Association of Queens and serving on Community Board 8 since 2002, as the very first community board member of Bangladeshi heritage in New York City. In 2014, Ahmed took on the role of Secretary General of the Advisory Council of Al-Mamoor Islamic School in New York. Currently, she holds the esteemed position of Director at India Home’s Desi Senior Center in Jamaica, Queens, ensuring a welcoming and nurturing environment for aging Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States

Meena Goberdhan
Meena Goberdhan is a Human Services professional and is a Case Worker for India Home. She has a Bachelor’s of Science from New York City College of Technology and over 5+ years of experience in the field. Her sole duty is to provide individuals with Case Management assistance and guidance they may need in order to create a more stable healthy lifestyle for themselves. Meena has been with India Home as a Case Worker for over a year and has provided Case Management services to over 1,000 seniors during her time here. She will continue to reach as many seniors as possible to make the South Asian community more knowledgeable of the services they are entitled to and deserve. The South Asian community will continue to thrive through the various programs and help offered by India Home.

Farhana Hussain
Farhana is a proud Bangladeshi American who is passionate about all things related to social impact, public service, and philanthropy. Her family immigrated from Sylhet, Bangladesh to NYC in the 1990s, where she was instilled from an early age to value her cultural roots and heritage and help her community. She graduated in May 2020 from Fordham University with a double major BA degree in International & Humanitarian Studies. Farhana has volunteered and worked with various nonprofits such as the International Rescue Committee, Trickle Up, Institute for Sustainable Communities, and The Desai Foundation. In January 2020, she joined India Home in order to support the South Asian immigrant older adult community– a mission that she is passionate about and aligns with her interest in reducing inequalities within our community’s marginalized and underserved groups. She brings grant writing, donor development, and digital communications & storytelling skills to our team. In her free time, Farhana enjoys being with family and friends, reading, learning new languages, and watching South Asian and Korean dramas.

Davinder Singh
Davinder Paul Singh is a dedicated Grants Coordinator at India Home, leveraging his background as a former community liaison and budget director for a City Council member. His passion to help his community has led him to work for India Home. In his current role, he focuses on writing grants and managing deliverables. Davinder has a Bachelors of Arts in English from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Beyond the office, Davinder has passion for technology and law. He is an avid sports enthusiast, both watching and actively participating in various sports. If he’s not working or playing sports, he is usually trying different restaurants across New York City. Davinder is fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu.

Sumon Islam
Sumon Islam is a Community Liaison at India Home. He completed his Bachelors & Masters Degree in Finance from National University of Bangladesh & also completed his MBA from Asian University of Bangladesh. His people’s first personality and listening to their stories, makes Sumon a great Community Liaison. He has worked for Northwest Airlines & Egypt Airlines as an Accounts Manager. When Sumon is not working, he likes to play Cricket & Badminton. He is an avid movie goer.

Reynaldo Moya
Bookkeeper

Andrew De Leon
Program Assistant

Krishna Reddy
Krishna Reddy holds a masters degree in biosciences with distinction from Andhra University, India. She also has a pharmacy assistant diploma in New York State and New York clinical laboratory technologist license. Additionally she is a certified first responder at Northwell Long Island Jewish hospital in New Hyde park, hemato immunology diploma in New York and holds a food and nutrition diploma from India. Currently she is working as a surgical and anatomical pathology laboratory technologist at LIJ hospital under Northwell Health. Krishna has previously worked as teacher in India and a molecular biotechnologist in surgical research and renal molecular lab, lab technologist in pediatric infectious diseases, psychiatry research and phytopharmacology labs. She has also had a long standing passion towards community service and senior wellbeing. In her current role as office assistant at India Home she is involved in facilitating inter generational welfare programs and program outreach.

Samra Rashid
Samra Rashid is a licensed social worker at India Home Inc. She completed her masters degree in Psychology from the University of Punjab, in Pakistan. She migrated to the United States in 2001 and stayed home to raise the three beautiful children. She pursued another degree at Adelphi University School of Social Work. She went on to work as a licensed social worker in different healthcare settings and she focused on providing therapy, case management, and advocacy for clients and families. Samra’s cultural background influenced her to start the journey as a social worker and a therapist to dispel the stigma and negative perspectives regarding mental health held within culturally diverse communities. In addition, her passion to help others gives her immense pleasure. She gets satisfaction when she sees the million-dollar smile on her clients faces.

Shaila Sultana 
Shaila Sultana has been a community development activist since 1996 in Bangladesh. After MSc in Psychology from Dhaka University, She started her career with community involvement and engaging the community with their needs. During the professional tenure, she successfully worked as a volunteer in an international team of different languages, gender, values and cultural background in Thailand and India through the Fredskorpset Norway funded project. Shaila had entered the areas of thematic expertise is to Early Childhood Development, Basic Education, ICT in Education, Child & women rights and protection, Child sponsorship, Adolescent Development, Health care services & Nutrition, training & capacity building, Community based Program Planning and Management, advocacy and networking of diverse community in Bangladesh, India, and Thailand. Currently, she is working closely at India Home with South Asian seniors (60+) throughout Queens and taking an active role in daily functioning of center activities at our Desi Senior Center and potentially other locations as needed. Working as a service provider of Senior care services, Case Management and facilitating the sessions and other activities. Shaila Sultana has a longtime vision and sustainable culturally adopted services of Seniors cares.

Umesh Naukkala
Umesh Rao Naukkala completed a Bachelors in Commerce from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. He has worked in the accounting and sales departments of the telecommunication industry for 32 years. He also has expertise in retail marketing and strategy and advertising development. At India home, in his current role in program management, he facilitates the organizing of the senior welfare programs and also plays a vital role in the community outreach programs. Besides his academic and work achievements, Umesh also has excellent communication skills and is proficient in 8 languages which include English, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi and Tamil.

Rajnish Sharma
Rajnish Sharma has a diploma in hotel management, diploma in acting and stagecraft He has acted in about 20 stage plays, 50 radio plays, 30 tv serials, 16 ad films. In addition, he has done voice overs for Discovery, History, Nat Geo, and Cartoon Network. He has worked with ITPO, Pragati Maidan, All India Radio, and FM channels as announcer and RJ in Delhi, India. Ranish is currently working with Parker Jewish Institute as a Cultural Liaison and at India Home as Program assistant.

Kiruba Pillai 
Kiruba Pillai is currently working with India Home as a Program & Accounts Assistant. She has enjoyed supporting the recent inauguration of IH’s 3D Care (Desi Dementia Daycare) program, supporting older adults with mild to moderate dementia with creative activities and compassionate service. She did her education in Accounting, as well as Carnatic (Classical) Music. She has been working in the fields of Accounting, Taxes & Finances, for over 25 years, including at HSBC, H&R Block, and Heera Moti, Inc. She is also a Vocalist and teaches Carnatic Music, Thevarams (ancient devotional poetry) and gives Voice Training lessons. Mrs. Pillai also writes and teaches the Tamil language and is deeply involved in Cultural Activities locally. She is a member of many Cultural Organizations, and served as the Cultural Secretary of the 45 year old multicultural organization “Kaveri Sangam” in Buffalo, New York. Kiruba Pillai is interested in Yoga, Art, Health and Nutrition, Alternative Medicine.and Community Services as well.

Shahara Lilly 
Shahara Lily completed her master’s degree in Management from Dhaka City College in Bangladesh. She was an assistant teacher in a private school in Bangladesh from 2007-2015. She migrated to the United States in 2015. In September 2015 to August 2019 she worked at a private television channel” TBN 24 “. From 2019 to April 2023 she worked at Walgreens getting her people experience. Ms. Lily joined India Home in April 2023 as a program assistant. She is a quick learner and always tries to be punctual. When she is not working, she loves to listen to music and read books.

Parvathy Suresh, MSW
Parvathy completed her Masters in Social Work from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kerala in 2017. Parvathy also has her Bachelors in Mathematics from Kerala University. Being passionate in Social Work, Parvathy started her career specializing in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work in 2019. Since then, she has been serving different vulnerable populations including elderly, mentally challenged, women and substance abuse victims. Parvathy has experience handling different positions including Mental Health Counselor, Case Manager, and Program Supervisor. Parvathy joined India Home in April 2023. Currently she assists with Case Management for India Home Seniors and also takes the role of Social Worker representing India Home to serve the South Asian Senior population at Indian Cultural Unit in Parker Jewish Institute of Healthcare and Rehabilitation. Parvathy continues to strive her best to provide timely support to India Home seniors.

Community Outreach Team

Dil Afroze
Dil Afroze is a Community Outreach and CHW Supervisor at India Home. Prior to her time at India Home, Dil served as a member of the Vaccine for All Corps, created as part of the city’s public health emergency in response to the COVID19 pandemic. She utilizes her outreach experience, knowledge working with the youth and children with developmental disorders to bridge the gap between resources available for vulnerable populations. In her spare time she enjoys expanding her t-shirt collection.

Dorjee SNU
Dorjee SNU was born into a Nepali farmer’s family. He received his education at the Tibetan Homes School in India. Since he immigrated to the United States, he has dedicated himself to aiding New Yorkers in their vaccination efforts. For the past two years, he has been serving as a Community Health Worker with India Home, passionately contributing to the well-being of South Asians and immigrants in New York City. Since working in India Home, he has advocated the health and well-being of older adults.

Rafael Arichavala 
Community Health Worker

Jaswinder Bala
Community Health Worker

Victoria Robinson
Victoria Robinson is a current Master’s of Public health student at SUNY Downstate for Medical Science as well as Community Health Worker with India Home. After graduating with a Bachelors in Forensic Biology from the University of New Haven, she joined the NY State Contact tracing initiative as a way to join the workforce even though jobs were scarce during the pandemic. This led her to decide a potential career in Epidemiology. She uses her science and leadership background to help Queen’s communities that are in need of public health education and face health disparities. Her work with India Home enriches her with culture, working with vulnerable South Asian adults and providing health equity to other vulnerable demographics in Queens. Her experience with India Home has allowed her to enter the Public Health Workforce in New York City.

Justine Saunders 
Justine Saunders is currently a community health worker at India Home. A proud graduate of Buffalo State University, she was inspired to pursue a career in public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before working at India Home, she was a contact tracer/ case investigator at the NYS Department of Health-Western New York Region. She helped stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus by tracking and identifying community members who had been exposed and or tested positive for COVID-19 and provided them with the most up-to-date NYS quarantine/isolation guidance. In her free time, she participates in ministry at her church.

Shree Patel 
Shree Patel is a second year MPH candidate at New York University as well as a Data Analyst for India Home. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Public Health Science, she began working for India Home as an intern. She was on board during the first few months of the CDG grant and took the role of a data lead on the project. Here she coordinated data between India Home, partner organizations New Jerusalem, and Project New Yorker with the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. Once the project was extended, she moved on to data entry and data analysis for various other grant-funded projects.

Dil Afroz Ahmed
Dil Afroz Ahmed, also known as Nargis Ahmed, embarked on her American journey in 1981 as a student at Dhaka University in Bangladesh. Shortly after, she pursued an Associate’s degree in Travel and Tourism at ITT Taylor Business Institute, kickstarting a career spanning over 25 years in a Corporate Travel agency. Her multifaceted role encompassed office management, client relationship management, and serving as a Travel Consultant. In 1986, she made history as the news anchor for “Ruposhi Bangla,” the pioneering Bengali television program broadcasted beyond Bangladesh’s borders. Ahmed co-founded Bangladesh Shangshod in 1988, a pivotal organization providing vital support to newly arrived Bangladeshi immigrants. She became the first and remains the only elected female president of Bangladesh Society Inc., a monumental milestone in her community service journey. Ahmed’s commitment extended to educational efforts, notably the ‘Bangla School,’ where she facilitated the learning of traditional Bengali arts and language for children of Bangladeshi descent.

Ahmed’s forays into mainstream local politics were equally impactful, advocating for the Asian American Democratic Association of Queens and serving on Community Board 8 since 2002, as the very first community board member of Bangladeshi heritage in New York City. In 2014, Ahmed took on the role of Secretary General of the Advisory Council of Al-Mamoor Islamic School in New York. Currently, she holds the esteemed position of Director at India Home’s Desi Senior Center in Jamaica, Queens, ensuring a welcoming and nurturing environment for aging Bangladeshi immigrants in the United States

Catherine Martinez
Catherine Martinez is a native New Yorker who graduated from NYU’s Communication Sciences & Disorders Program and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Health. Catherine is one of India Home’s Case workers. When she is not working, she enjoys good food, shopping, luxury skincare, gifts, reading, thriller movies, k-dramas, Studio Ghibli movies, Hello Kitty/Sanrio and K-pop.