Board of Directors

Executive Board

Rachna Shah

HGH President

Rachna Shah

HGH President

Rachana Shah has been associated with Vallabh Priti Sewa Samaj for the last 30 years and with Vallabh Vidya Mandir for the last 14 years. Started with Vallabh Vidya Mandir (VVM) as a parent, was a Pre-K teacher at VVM for 2 years and then Principal for the last 11 years. As a Principal, I have hosted and organized many events. She is familiar with HHYC as my son, Rajit Shah has attended camp for 6 years as a student and was also a counselor on the leadership team last summer. Rajit was one of the awardees at the HGH Hindu Youth Awards this year. She holds a Master’s degree from India in Home Economics (M.S Univ) and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Finance from University of Houston.

Hemant Jadhav

HGH Vice President

Hemant Jadhav

HGH Vice President

Hemant Jadhav, is currently the Secretary of HGH. He has been volunteering with Hindus of Greater Houston since 2004. He is a dedicated volunteer and supports various organization in the Houston area. He also volunteers for the National MS society’s MS150 ride and has been associated with them since 2005.He volunteers for the Houston Community College and is a member of their International Business Advisory Board. In his free time, he likes to bicycle around the trails in Houston area. He is married to Rajashri Jadhav and has a daughter Tanvi Jadhav.

Tupil Narasiman

HGH Treasurer

Tupil Narasiman

HGH Treasurer

Tupil Narasiman has been residing in Houston since 1990. Now engaged in International Tax and Finance consulting following his retirement from ExxonMobil after working in the Tax area for over 35 years. Professionally, he was the president of the local chapter of the Tax Executive, a leading national tax organization. He has been actively involved with the Sri Meenakshi Temple (“MTS”), being on its board for over 8 years and also served as the Chairman of MTS during 2012-2013. He has been involved in many community organizations such as Bharathi Kalai Manram (“BKM” – President 2016), Classical Arts Society, Hindus of Greater Houston (Treasurer- 2021). He is married to Ranjana and they have three children and five grandchildren.

Vijay Kumar Pallod

Media Coordinator

Vijay Kumar Pallod

Media Coordinator

Vijay Kumar Pallod Active with HGH for past 30 years. He has been the Public Relations and Media Outreach Director for Hindu of Greater Houston and the spokesperson for the Hindu community locally and nationally for the past 35 years. He is married to Sushma Pallod and blessed with three kids Kavita, Bharat and Namita. He is blessed with two grand kids Veer and Tegh. In his leisure time, he likes to play ping pong, Swim, and bike riding. He has been at the forefronts of many a tirade that Hindu of Houston had to take to defend their faith and value system. He is also active with the Interfaith community in Houston and Sugar land. His passion is to work with Youth.

Thara Narasimhan

Former HGH President

Thara Narasimhan

Former HGH President

Thara Narasimhan resident of Houston since 1981. Held several leadership roles in the Houston community. She is the Past President of Bharathi Kalai Manram Houston, and Past President of the “Samskriti Society of Indian Performing Arts”. She is associated with “Voice of Sanatan Hinduism”, Radio Program for the past 27 years. She has been part of Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH) since inception and currently serve as its President. She holds a master’s degree in Microbiology and worked as Medical and Radiology Technologist for the past 45 years both in India and Houston. She is married to Dr. N.D.Narasimhan Ph.D (Texas A&M). They have a son Kirthi Narasimhan married to Dr.Rashmi Narasimhan.

Partha Krishnaswamy

Former HGH President

Partha Krishnaswamy

Former HGH President

Partha Krishnaswamy has been with HGH since 2008 initially serving as Vice President and Event chair for all the Grand annual Janmashtami celebrations held at the George R Brown Convention Center until 2018. He was the President of HGH from 2016 till 2018. Partha is currently the Secretary of Sri Meenakshi Temple, an iconic temple in Pearland. Partha is also the founder member of the Katy Indian Cultural Association. He is a part of the organizing committee that has been celebrating Navarathri Garbha. Partha also served as the President of Bharathi Kalai Manram. Partha also was seen managing the stage at several events of Charitable organizations such as “Udavum Karangal”, as well as any significant project such as the “International Yoga day” etc. Professionally, Partha is engaged in deep-water Offshore Technology in the Oil and Gas sector. He is married to Indrani Parthasarathy and are blessed with two sons who are graduates from Texas A&M University and are currently working in Houston

Sharad Suryakant Amin

Former HGH President

Sharad Suryakant Amin

Former HGH President

Sharad Suryakant Amin Retired Engineer, resident of Houston metro area since 1973. Past president of Hindus of Greater Houston (HGH). Co-ordinated and represented HGH at International Day of Yoga since 2018. Swayam Sevak of Hindu SwayamSevak Sangh (HSS), responsible for Seniors group (Praudh Shreni) nationally. He is involved with many Hindi organizations, and is the initiator in starting Hindu Youth camp World Hindu Council of America (VHPA) in 1985. At present also active with the camp which is organized by Hindu of Greater Houston (HGH). Hobby is doing Surya Namaskar daily, Walk, and serve the society through Sewa International family services and project: “Know your Healthy SELF”. Sharad Amin is married to Amita and have 2 children Sujatha and Arpan S.Amin.

Girish Naik

Former HGH President

Girish Naik

Former HGH President

Girish Naik has been associated with many organizations in the sprite of community service. His belief is “Service to Mankind, is service to God”. When he came to Houston, he served in the Executive committee of Gujarati Samaj of Houston for 3 years and later its President and now a Trustee. Girish along with his wife Hina Naik are closely associated with the Hindu Heritage camp for many years through Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and Hindus of Greater Houston. He is currently the president of VHP of America – Houston Chapter for the past 10 years. He is the first president of Hindus of Greater Houston and coordinated the grand Janmashtami celebration for few years. He was the Director in ICC for 2 years. He enjoys doing Drama and has played many roles in local plays. For 6 years he participated in the MS 150 – Bike ride from Houston to Austin to support research on Muscular Sclerosis.

Board of Directors

Gopal Aggarwal

Director

Gopal Aggarwal

Director

Gopal Aggarwal has been a Board member of Hindus of Greater Houston for over 20 years. He is the CEO of Tara Capital, Real Estate Investment Creating Value in Multifamily Assets Company and Oversees acquisitions, entry/exit strategies, investor relations, and long-range planning. The company leads property level operations to increase efficiencies, minimize vacancies, and ensure timely property renovations. Over 25 years of multi-faceted real estate experience across apartments, hotels, and retail businesses. He is actively involved at all Janmashtami and major events celebrated by Hindus of Greater Houston. His entire family has been involved HGH activities in many ways. His wife Uma Aggrawal helps with Children’s costume contest. His children Raghav, Supriya and Neeraja.

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

Director

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

Director

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee is a digital transformation and technology strategy leader with almost 30 years of experience in United States. An IIT Computer scientist and gold medalist in USA, he came to USA on a NASA scholarship in 1987. He currently leads Data and Analytics for Shell Energy at Trading and Supply IT. Partha has held technology leadership positions at many companies. He has been awarded Distinguished Service Award for his lifetime services by IIT Kharagpur. He is the Founding Trustee and ex- President of Houston Durga Bari Society and life member and Board member of Tagore Society of Houston. Ex-president of IIT Kharagpur Alumni in Houston, steering committee member of IIT 2013 Global Conference, Board of Directors of IIT Foundation, General Secretary of North American Bengali Conference, among other charitable organizations. Partha holds a Bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) (Kharagpur) in India. He has a master’s degree in computer science from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from Texas A&M University, specializing in Finance and Management Information Systems. He enjoys sports and music with his wife, Arpita and children, Ishaan and Trisha.

Bhagwan Bhutada

Director

Bhagwan Bhutada

Director

Bhagwan Bhutada by profession Engineer & working with Star Pipe as Purchasing Manager & Senior Cost Analyst. He joined Hindu Swayamsevak since childhood and help in volunteering activities. He is currently a Director in HGH and have been volunteering in HGH for more than 15 years. He also is a volunteer in HAF, VHP, and MMNA He volunteers to help and serve others. His wife Sangita Bhutada is a Director and part of management in a Montessori school which we own. She is also an artist and has achieved a Limca Book of World Records and attempted a Guinness Book of World records for the largest rangoli drawn single-handedly. She has also drawn Rangoli for HGH for 12 years and at other events. His two sons are Mayuresh and Hriday, volunteer at HGH and other Organizations.

Chetan K. Dave

Director

Chetan K. Dave

Director

Chetan joined the HGH Board of Directors in 2022. He is a co-founder of Pragati, a grassroots community organization to promote and engage Hindu community participation at local level in civic activities and government. Chetan is a real estate private equity investment executive with over 30 years of experience in US and Asia, in fund management, capital markets, portfolio and asset management and investment strategy. He has served on various boards of investee companies and served on the Board of Trustees of American School of Bombay. Chetan has MBA from Columbia University, M. Arch. from Washington University in St. Louis, and a B. Arch. from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India. He is married to Deepa Davé, and they are blessed with two children. He is fluent in English, Hindi, Gujarati and understands Urdu.

Amit Raina

Director

Amit Raina

Director

Born in Kashmir, Amit Raina has been the resident of Greater Houston since 2008. Amit has been active in the Indian American community and is closely associated with Texas Kashmiri Biradari and GKPD. Amit has actively volunteered and participated in many community events and works with multiple social and cultural Organizations. He is married to Niharika and blessed with two kids Ayansh and Nysa. He is passionate to serve the community at large.

Himanshu Upadhyaya

Director

Himanshu Upadhyaya

Director

Himanshu Upadhyaya is a child psychiatrist, married to Vidya and father of two children. He is a student of Vedanta and passionate about educating the young generation about monotheistic basis of Hinduism and the amazing philosophy that underlies all the rituals in Hinduism.

Bharat Patel

Director

Bharat Patel

Director

Bharath Patel was in the medical billing business but has retired since 2016 and now engaged in community service. He holds several positions at various non-profit organizations, namely: (1) ISKCON of Houston – served as a Board Member (Director) and Treasurer for 25+ years, ending in 2016. I am currently serving as a Director of Operations. (2) Gujarati Samaj of Houston – serving for 10 yrs. Currently serving as Vice-President. (3) Associated with India Culture Center as GSH is also a participating member organization. (4) Sewa International – he has been volunteering as a Family Services Case Manager since 2016 and have attended over 100 cases in helping our community members with their needs, e.g., funerals, cancer related treatments, domestic issues, disaster relief, Covid-19 related, food drives, etc.

Manisha Gandhi

Director

Manisha Gandhi

Director

Manisha Gandhi has been a Houston resident since middle school. She is the chief anchor for TV ASIA USA for Houston. Passionate about fundraising for good causes, she has been working for non-profit organizations for the last 9 years. She was the candidate for Houston City Council, District E in 2007 – first Indo-American woman to run for Houston City Council. She has been serving the community for over 25 years via various boards, City of Houston, University of Houston, Indo-American Political Action Committee, India Culture Center, Indo-American Charity Foundation, and Hindus of Greater Houston among others.

Bijay Dixit

Director

Bijay Dixit

Director

Bijay Dixit is the founder and photographer of Unique Photo Images, a family owned-and-operated photography studio serving Greater Houston and the surrounding communities. With over 35 years of experience in both the United States and India, Bijay’s technical expertise, creativity, and passion for capturing the perfect moment continues to make every clients’ special day a dream come true. Bijay is a well known Houston community member and believes in Sanatan humanitarian equality, and self- responsibility as granted by the Creator of our Universe. Bijay has actively volunteered and participated in many community events, including Hindus of Greater Houston Janmashtami since 1998. He is honored to be one of the advisers for Hindus of Greater Houston in 2021 and looks forward to serving the organization with the utmost responsibility.

Shital Rathi

Board Member

Shital Rathi

Board Member

Shital Rathi residing at Houston from 2003. She is accountant by profession. She is involved with HGH activities since the past 17 years and serving as Janmashtami coordinator for over 10 years. She has helped with Houston Heritage Youth Camp for several years. Also actively involved and supporter of many other social organizations, Ekal USA,MMNA & SEWA INTERNATIONAL. She has special interest in meeting people, socializing, and helping in any of the Hindu Organization, HSS as well as HGH. She is married to Girish Rathi, Former HGH Board member and mother of two children Shubh and Krupa.

Ami Parikh

Director

Ami Parikh

Director

Amiben Parikh has dedicated over 20 years to selfless community service through VPSS Temple and more than 12 years with Vallabh Vidyanagar Mandir (VVM). At VPSS, she served as a Trustee, provided accounting services, and actively participated in temple and kitchen seva. At VVM, she has served on the Board of Directors, including over eight years as Vice Chairperson, and has been a teacher for more than six years. She has also volunteered with HHYC for over 10 years. As a parent, she was actively involved after both of her daughters attended the camp in the late 1990s. Her lifelong commitment to seva reflects her dedication to faith, education, and community service.

Kalpavalli Patel

Director

Kalpavalli Patel

Director

Kalpavalli Patel dedicated 36 years of service to the City of Houston as a civil servant before retiring in 2025. Throughout her public service career, she remained committed to giving back to the community, a passion she continues to pursue in retirement through volunteerism and civic engagement. A devoted community leader, Kalpavalli actively supports nonprofit and charitable organizations, including Ekal USA, Hindu University of America (HUA), Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Aim for Seva, JKYog, Sewa International, and the Houston Food Bank. Her dedication to preserving and promoting Hindu values is reflected in her service as Secretary of the Sanatan Hindu Center since 2015, where she helps foster spiritual growth, cultural awareness, and community engagement. Kalpavalli also serves as the host of Voice of Sanatan Hinduism, a radio program that educates, inspires, and connects listeners through the timeless teachings and traditions of Sanatan Dharma. Outside of her service, she finds joy in reading, listening to music, and spending time with her daughters, Devanshi and Shivani.

Saumil Manek

Director

Saumil Manek

Director

Saumil Manek is the co founder of UNIONisCREATION™ (www.unioniscreation.com/), one of Houston’s leading wellness organizations dedicated to creating meaningful experiences through yoga, meditation, breathwork, and immersive sound. A Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200), sound facilitator, and community wellness leader, Saumil has spent years bringing people together through practices that encourage presence, connection, and inner balance.

He has guided thousands of participants at community, corporate, healthcare, and cultural events throughout the Houston area. His work has been featured at Discovery Green®, the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, The Westin Houston Medical Center/Museum District, JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria, Houston Texans wellness programs, hospitals, universities, museums, and numerous community organizations.

Saumil believes that wellness should be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background, or experience. His sessions blend mindful movement, breath awareness, meditation, and the therapeutic sounds of crystal singing bowls to create an experience that supports relaxation, resilience, and overall well being.

As a passionate advocate for community wellness, Saumil has collaborated with organizations across Houston to promote the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga and meditation. Through his leadership with UNIONisCREATION™, he continues to create spaces where individuals can reconnect with themselves and with one another through shared experiences rooted in compassion, mindfulness, and service.

Board of Directors

Executive Board

Rachna Shah

Hemant Jadhav

Tupil Narasiman

Vijay Kumar Pallod

Thara Narasimhan

Partha Krishnaswamy

Sharad Suryakant Amin

Girish Naik

Board of Directors

Gopal Aggarwal

Partha Sarathi Chatterjee

Bhagwan Bhutada

Chetan K. Dave

Amit Raina

Himanshu Upadhyaya

Bharat Patel

Manisha Gandhi

Bijay Dixit

Shital Rathi

Ami Parikh

Kalpavalli Patel

Saumil Manek

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