IACCGH Business Hour Open forum Featuring Manisha Gandhi,

TV Asia- Chief Correspondence- Houston,

EDGE 196- Head of Communication and Marketing,

Director of Advancement- Project ECHO(non-profit)

Click Here to view/listen to the recording

By: Somdatta Basu, MBA Class of 2023, The University of Houston

Houston TV Host Manisha Gandhi Shares Her Fundraising Journey on IACCGH Business Hour

 April 22, HOUSTON, TX – Manisha Gandhi, a well-known TV host, and development director for non-profit organizations, recently shared her journey and experiences on the “Open Forum” radio station as part of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston’s monthly Business Hour . In the hour-long show, Manisha said she became involved with the IACCGH soon after its inception, and as an All-State agent, she was one of the earliest members of the chamber. “I was probably the second woman to be part of the chamber as a member. That’s many years ago because the chamber has been in existence for the last 24 years,” said Manisha.The TV Asia correspondent pointed out that she had been involved with television for the past 12 years. It was her passion for making a meaningful impact which led her to join fundraising. As a professional non-profit fundraiser and development director, she launched chapters in Tampa, Chicago, and Atlanta, raising funds for Akshay Patra, from New York to Texas. During her talk, Manisha pointed out that successful fundraising requires networking and building genuine relationships. “Networking is crucial, and building relationships with genuine intent is key to success,” she emphasized.

Manisha’s played a crucial role in bringing the Akshay Patra charity back to Houston. She stressed that convincing people to donate to a cause wasn’t easy, but through networking and building genuine relationships, it could be accomplished. “Although I’ve been away from being a staff member of Akshay Patra for a while, I still keep in touch with friends in Chicago,” Manisha added. When asked about youth involvement in fundraising, Manisha said that it had always been a challenge, but some organizations like Pratham have involved young people through internships and volunteer hours, which has brought success.

Manisha is currently representing Project Echo, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Sanjeev Arora, a gastroenterologist at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. The organization is aimed at bringing about a system change that began in 2003/2004 to address the issue of long wait times for hepatitis C treatment. “Dr. Arora recognized that treatments were available, and that no patient should have to wait for treatment. He developed a unique model of learning and collaboration, bringing experts into the room and utilizing technology to teach physicians all over New Mexico how to treat hepatitis C. As a result, the wait time was significantly reduced from eight months to just two weeks, allowing them to treat an incredible 15,000 patients in just six to eight months. This model has now been adopted in more than 50 countries across the world, including Africa, the UK, and India,” she said. Manisha is also heading the Communications and Marketing of EDGE196 – a new-age company that operates a portfolio of innovation and subsidiaries.

For those who are aspiring to pursue a career in non-profit, Manisha emphasized the importance of networking, building relationships, and staying true to one’s values to be the mantra for success.