Change in India can only come from bottom up: Fareed Zakaria

Publication:       Silicon India

Date:                May 5, 2007

Editor:              Pradip K. Mazumder

New York:  An estimated $80,000 was raised at the first benefit dinner titled Pledge 2007 help by CRY America here where Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International, said change in India can only happen with the involvement of civil society.

Zakaria was the keynote speaker and CRY America changed its name from ‘Child Relief and You’ to ‘Child Rights and You’, to reflect CRY India’s shifting focus.

The 200-odd people who paid $175 each for the dinner ticket Wednesday included scores of Americans besides Indian Americans. A painting donated by octogenarian Indian artist Ram Kumar was auctioned for $26,00, bought by Sundaram Tagore who runs an art gallery in the city.

Meera and Vikram Gandhi, prominent New Yorkers, were co-chairs of the gala, “CRY America’s fundraising gala will now be an annual event and will grow every year,” Meera said. 
Zakaria in his keynote address said, “Change in India can only come from bottom up, not top down, and that can happen by getting the civic society involved and pressing the government and amplifying the voices like that of CRY.”