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EVENTS

Wish For Vision

Sonoran Masala: Sudhakar Subrahmanyam, Shiela, Sushil, and Sita Sudhakar

On September 30, 2018 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Wish Foundation hosted a grand charity event at the Indo-American Cultural Religious Foundation Hall in Phoenix, Arizona. The event was held to promote the fundraising and sponsoring of free prescription eyeglasses to Arizona Public School students in need. Every $50 raised gives one free paid of eyeglasses to one child. The event comprised of a musical show followed by a luncheon. The musical program consisted of a performance by Sonoran Masala, a Phoenix group of talented artists, and singer Aparna Sridhar of Los Angeles, CA.

Sheila Sudhakar on the veena

Sudhakar Subrahmanyam on the mridangam

Sushil Sudhakar on the veena

Sita Sudhakar on the veena

Sonoran Masala is a local family musical quartet. Sheila Sudhakar, Sushil Sudhakar and Sita Sudhakar on the veena, and Sudhakar Subrahmanyam on the Mridangam. The quartet specializes in blending traditional Carnatic compositions with classical jazz and rock pieces. Sheila is a primary care physician, Sudhakar runs a software company. Sushil currently is a senior in High School while sister Sita is a Freshman at Desert Vista High School.

Aparna Shridhar is a classical Carnatic and karaoke singer in her own right. She performed that Sunday evening singing in different languages of India including Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Aside from this talent and hobby of hers, Aparna is teaching and practicing obstetrics and gynecologist at UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles. She is very much interested in charitable services and giving back to the community.

Dr. Aparna Shridhar

Luncheon

Student Volunteers from ASU serving Buffet

Top Left to Right: Fruit Salad, Vegetable Pakoda, Salad, Gulab Jamun. Middle Left to Right: Potato Curry, Chapathi, Vegetable Korma. Bottom Left to Right: Curd Rice, Vegetable Palao, Raita

A delicious 10-course South Indian meal was cooked and prepared by a group of female volunteers free of charge. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication for this event!

Success!

Our goal initially was to raise funds to provide 100 students with free prescription eyeglasses. Due to the generosity of donors, we were able to raise enough money to support double the amount we had hoped for. Thanks to all those who turned out in large numbers to donate, support, and/or volunteer their efforts to make this possible. Several students at Wilson Elementary School District #7 have received prescription eyeglasses. The students have commented that they can see the black board better and colors more vividly. The administrators at the school have thanked the organization for the wonderful gesture. "Thank You" letters are pouring in from the children. Kudos to the community! As one of the attendees put it, "Good thoughts lead to good action, good action leads to good deeds and good deeds lead to success."

The community should be proud of this great achievement and continue to do even bigger and better.

From Left to Right: Archana Alagiri, Kaveri Bhaskar, Rajeshwari Sastry, Sumi Gopalasami, Balaji Rangaswamy, Kodetthoor Bhaskara Udupa, Narasinga Rao.

Back Row Left to Right: Bhaskara Rao, Kaveri Bhaskar, Diane F., Kala Rajagopalan, Sandhya Seshadri, Shobha Rao, Sumi Gopalasamy, Savitri Udupa, Rajeshwari Sastry, Jayasimha Sastry; Front Row Left to Right: Preeti Elango, Maya Rao, Deepika Ganta

Photos: V.K. Srikanth; Sonoran Collage provided by Sudhakar Subrahmanyam Thanks to Dr. Rajagopalan for his vision to initiate this project.

Wish For Education

Inaugural Education Seminar- Talk by Dr. Murali Krishna

Dr. Murali Krishna of Oklahoma City

On Saturday, March 10, 2018, Wish Foundation held the first of its inaugural education seminar series at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. The event was co-sponsored by The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC-MACAY) of ASU. Dr. Murali Krishna of Oklahoma City was our guest speaker. Dr. Krishna is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry. Dr. Murali is the co-founder of James L. Hall Jr. Center for Body, Mind, and Spirit in Oklahoma City. He is the author of the book Vibrant: To Heal and be Whole from India to Oklahoma City.

Dr. Bhaskara Udupa and wife Mrs. Savitri Udupa; Mrs. Syamala Krishna, wife of Dr. Murali Krishna

Dr. S. Narasinga Rao introduced our distinguished speaker. Dr. Krishna spoke on the topic of Managing Stress in Today's Life: Applying the Mind-Brain Connection. Following the talk was a question and answer session. Dr. Krishna answered the audience's questions about dreams, meditation, and stress management. Teenagers received suggestions as to how to manage pressure from friends growing up in two different cultures.

In conclusion, the informative session was inspiring and extremely well received by those who attended. Dr. Krishna has been invited by INTEL-INDIA to give a talk. We are hoping on a second lecture by Dr. Krishna at Intel within the next year.

Dr. M.S. Viji - Lecture on "Ignited Minds" and "Power of Collaboration" Sunday, October 21, 2018

(in cooperation with SPIC-MACAY of Arizona State University)

Wish Foundation Directors and Volunteers with Dr. M.S. Viji

From left to right: Dr. Udupa, Dr.Viji, and Dr. Rao

Attendees before start of the lecture

Dr. M.S. Viji lecturing

Powerpoint Slide

WISH - Feeding where Needed

WISH - Feeding where Needed is a community outreach program to get the youth volunteers involved in a school food drive providing lunch to the homeless and needy. We plan to sponsor rides to see doctors and delivery of food "heels for meals" once a week for people with disabilities, widowers, widows, single parents, and more in need. We will cater to those who have special dietary restrictions.

Seek our help for Homeless
Feeding Front line Healthcare providers during Pandemic