By Somdatta Basu
Brij Kathuria: Leadership IACCGH in the Tumultuous Times
The journey of the Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) has been marked by prominent society leaders who, despite challenges, charted a path of excellence. One such business executive is Brij Kathuria, who stood tall as the IACCGH President during what might be remembered as one of the chamber’s most trying times. The challenges were daunting. “”In my presidency, we faced some unparalleled challenges that made us question the chamber’s financial viability. We grappled with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which brought widespread devastation and forced us to cancel our gala. The same year, the global financial crisis led by Bear Stearns’ failure deeply impacted our financial landscape. Come 2009, West Houston witnessed severe flooding, testing our resilience yet again. Amid these adversities, we maneuvered through rescheduling our 2008 gala to February 2009 and organizing another in October 2009,” Kathuria said. While it would have been easy for any leader to fixate on these challenges, Kathuria’s gaze was always set firmly ahead. His leadership accentuated the chamber’s accomplishments rather than its setbacks. Under his guidance, the chamber expanded its networking and mentoring programs, equipping the burgeoning population of Indo-American professionals in Houston with skills and knowledge that would serve them well in their respective fields. The emphasis on bilateral commerce was evident, with a significant delegation to Mumbai in which key partnerships and relationships were forged with prominent Indian companies.
Education was another arena that saw a significant push during Kathuria’s tenure. Memoranda of agreements between renowned institutions like UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and Mumbai’s Tata Cancer Center, and the University of Houston and Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, India, paved the way for student exchanges, joint degrees, and collaborative research. These educational pursuits, Kathuria believed, had the power to shape the future of the Indo-American community. Kathuria articulated a sentiment that echoed the tenacity and optimism of his presidency. While acknowledging the chamber’s decade-long journey, he emphasized the collaborative spirit that fueled their successes. “The Chamber’s relationship with Reliant Energy led to reduced energy rate offerings for our members and businesses. And many of our local business partners helped make our free hiring event a tremendous success. As we continued to build partnerships in our community, the chamber and the community continued to benefit,” Kathuria pointed out. He also recognized the symbiotic relationships they built within the community, such as those with the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Minority Business Council, and local businesses. Such alliances, he added, brought tangible benefits to members.
Even today, as a past President of IACCGH Kathuria takes pride in serving an organization that, despite adversities, never wavered from its mission. His leadership exemplified the essence of the chamber’s strength – a collective spirit and a vision for the future. When he had passed on the baton, it was clear that his legacy would be remembered not just for the challenges faced but more for the heights achieved.