Naari 2026 – International Women’s Day Celebration Honors Inspiring Women Leaders in San Francisco

The “Association of Indo Americans (AIA)”, in collaboration with the “Consulate General of India, San Francisco”, successfully hosted “Naari 2026 – International Women’s Day Celebration” on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Consulate General of India in San Francisco. The event was a vibrant and inspiring gathering celebrating the remarkable achievements and leadership of women making a meaningful impact in the community.

The program was well attended by community leaders, distinguished guests, and award recipients who were featured in the event program. The afternoon brought together a dynamic mix of networking, inspiring speeches, cultural celebration, and recognition of exceptional women through awards honoring leadership and service.

The event featured an impressive lineup of distinguished speakers who shared powerful messages about leadership, service, and empowerment. Speakers included Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California; Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco; Prathima Reddy, Spouse of Consul General of India Dr. Srikar Reddy; Shefali Razdan Duggal, former U.S. Ambassador; Neeru Khosla, Co-Founder of the CK-12 Foundation; Catherine Stefani, Assemblymember; Penny Coulter, Chief of Protocol for the City and County of San Francisco; and Christine Pelosi, Political Strategist.

Speaking at the occasion, Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco, stated that his office was honored to host this important gathering celebrating women leaders. He applauded the Association of Indo Americans (AIA) for its continued efforts in bringing the community together and fostering meaningful engagement. He also thanked the distinguished guests, dignitaries, and public officials who attended the event to support and encourage the achievements and leadership of women in the community.

In her address, Eleni Kounalakis emphasized the importance of gatherings such as “Naari”, noting that events bringing together people from diverse cultural backgrounds strengthen international relationships. She highlighted that such connections foster greater understanding and collaboration between communities, helping international partnerships, trade, and cultural exchanges flourish.

A total of “48 women leaders from diverse fields and at various levels of leadership” were recognized during the event for their outstanding achievements and contributions. Among them, “three distinguished leaders were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards” in recognition of their extraordinary service and impact.

The “Lifetime Achievement Awards” were presented to Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor of California; Shefali Razdan Duggal, former U.S. Ambassador; and Neeru Khosla for their years of dedication, leadership, and contributions toward strengthening communities, advancing education, and promoting global engagement.

In particular, Neeru Khosla was recognized for her continued efforts to uplift communities through education. As the Co-Founder of the CK-12 Foundation, she has played a transformative role in providing accessible educational resources and helping young students build strong learning foundations at an early stage of their education.

Also, at this gathering, a special award, Geetha Ramakrishnan Memorial Award, was presented to CA. Srima Ranganathan, CPA, CA, MBA (Former Chairperson, ICAI Dallas (DFW) Chapter). This annual award honors the legacy of ICAI’s late Chairperson, CA Geetha Ramakrishnan, celebrating women who embody her spirit of excellence.

The event began with a lively networking session, allowing attendees to connect and celebrate the spirit of collaboration. The formal program followed with a welcome address by the Consul General of India, keynote and guest speakers, and a colorful cultural presentation that added vibrancy to the celebration.

A special highlight of the afternoon was the recognition of several outstanding women leaders with the “Trailblazer Woman Awards.” These honorees represent excellence across public service, technology, healthcare, entrepreneurship, education, and community leadership.

The 48 awardees include: Prathima Reddy Koppula, Eleni Kounalakis, Shefali Razdan Duggal, Neeru Khosla, Catherine Stefani, Penny Coulter, Christine Pelosi, CA. Srima Ranganathan, Sonita Lontoh, Lily Mei, Sherry Hu, Anita Manwani, Noreen King, Hannah Kain, Mamta Bhandari, Dr Nilima Ragavan, Beena Ammanath, Vasu Jakkal, Shalini Govil-Pai, Sundari Mitra, Sulata Mitra Sarkar, Sumita Jayaraman, Shabana Shiraz, Sema Sharma, Amrita Kar, Leela Mathur, Priya Kannan, Meena Sivaramakrishnan, Padma Parthasarathy, Shubha Prithviraj, Reema Mukherjee, Lizy John, Reni Poulose, Lekshmi Shaiju, Rinu Nair, Namrita Yuhanna, Shampy Prakash, Renu Bhatt, Sudha Prabhunandan, Sheetal Jharia, Gayatri Joshi, Archana Panda, Renuka Chavva, Radhika Sharma, Jyothi Chigullapalli, Minal Joshi, Meghna Patel, and Riya Patel.

Each of the awardees shared inspiring lessons from their life journeys, offering reflections that were enlightening, encouraging, and deeply comforting to the audience. Their stories of perseverance, leadership, and service created a powerful moment of collective learning and inspiration, allowing participants to connect and learn from one another’s experiences.

The gathering was graced by prominent leaders from Silicon Valley across community, business, and technology sectors. Organizers from the **Association of Indo Americans (AIA)** expressed their happiness at the grand success of the event and the presence of many distinguished leaders and dignitaries. The organizers noted that the personal journeys shared by the speakers and award recipients were deeply impressive and inspirational for the guests who attended.

The AIA team also extended heartfelt thanks to Dr. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco, Prathima Reddy, and the Consulate staff for their strong collaboration and support in organizing this annual flagship event dedicated to promoting gender equality and advancing women’s leadership. AIA also thanked M.R.Rangaswami (Indiaspora) and Anita Manwani (TiE Silicon Valley) for their support and participation.

Attendees enjoyed an engaging atmosphere filled with inspiring conversations, meet-and-greet opportunities, and moments of reflection on the progress and contributions of women across sectors. The event concluded with closing remarks and continued networking among participants.

The “Naari – International Women’s Day Celebration” continues to serve as an important platform for recognizing the achievements of women and amplifying voices that inspire progress and equality. Through events like this, the “Association of Indo Americans” reaffirms its commitment to celebrating leadership, fostering community engagement, and encouraging future generations of women to pursue their ambitions and break barriers. The Association of Indo Americans (AIA) is a coalition of more than 50 non-profit organizations in Silicon Valley dedicated to promoting community service, cultural unity, and civic engagement.