NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — LiveOnNY hosted Community Heroes Illuminating Lives, a celebration of Diwali and a special recognition of South Asian donor heroes and community leaders who have made a meaningful impact on organ donation awareness across New York.
Held at the Gujarati Samaj Hindu Community Center in Queens, the event honored Diwali—the Festival of Lights—which symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Guests also heard remarks from NYCD Desi Society Officer Manish Chopra, who spoke about the power of community engagement in advancing lifesaving organ donation.
Personal stories brought LiveOnNY’s mission to life. Saumil Parikh, whose six-year-old daughter was a donor hero who saved three lives, shared how organ donation has shaped his family’s journey. Abhijay Lehraj, whose father became a donor hero in 2024, reflected on his family’s experience and the importance of the gift of donation. Kidney recipient Ken Brijlal spoke about the profound impact of receiving such generosity.
LiveOnNY recognized individuals and organizations for their outstanding dedication to organ donation and their support of the South Asian community, including Dr. Shyla Roshin (Indian Nurses Association of New York), Mr. Inderjeet Singh (United Sikhs), Mr. Koshy Thomas (Floral Park-Bellerose Indian Merchants Association / Parade Chair), Mr. Vipul Patel (BAPS Mandir), and Mrs. Indu Jaiswal (Indian American Forum). Also honored was Dr. Mariam Singh, Director of Compliance with the NYC Department of Correction.
“Diwali is a time of light, hope, and community,” said Leonard Achan, President and CEO of LiveOnNY. “The evening honored the extraordinary generosity of donor heroes and community leaders who illuminate lives every day through their selfless acts.”
With over 250 people in attendance, distinguished guests included Senator John Liu, Councilmember Sandra Ung, Assemblymember Ed Braunstein, Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, Civil Court Judge Frances Wang, and representatives from the Consulate General of India, Mr. Anurag Bhargava and Mr. Tsewang Gyaltso. NYPD President Detective Neil Narayan was also in attendance for the celebration.
ABOUT LIVEONNY
LiveOnNY is a federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) committed to honoring, saving, and transforming lives through organ and tissue donation. Established in 1978, LiveOnNY collaborates with more than 100 area hospitals, providing support to donor families and transplant recipients. The OPO serves a diverse population of 13 million people of New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Rockland counties. Recognized as one of the nation’s top-performing OPOs, LiveOnNY and the people of New York have increased organ donation by 85% over the past five years. To learn more, visit LiveOnNY.org
SOURCE LiveOnNY
