HYATTSVILLE, Md. (Diya TV) — The India Philanthropy Alliance has named Neha Gupta, executive director of Teach For India U.S., the inaugural winner of its Deepak Raj Rising Star Award.
Gupta will receive the award Sept. 29 at the Indiaspora-IPA Philanthropy Summit in Dallas, where she will deliver the closing keynote. The award includes a $10,000 grant, which Gupta selected for Teach For India U.S.
The annual award recognizes an Indian American leader under 40 for work in philanthropy, civic engagement and institution building. IPA created the award in honor of investor and philanthropist Deepak Raj.
Gupta has led Teach For India U.S. since September 2024. The nonprofit raises resources and builds support for efforts to expand educational opportunities in India.
Before joining the organization, Gupta served as CEO of True Office Learning and held leadership roles at the New York Stock Exchange and Citigroup. Teach For India U.S. says she has more than 15 years of executive experience across business and nonprofit organizations.
Gupta holds an MBA in Global Business and Strategy and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Rutgers University. She also serves on the board of Targum Publishing Company.
IPA named Nikhil Jayawickrama and Karishma Navani as finalists. Jayawickrama co-chairs Pratham USA’s New York Tri-State Young Professionals Board, while Navani serves as philanthropic lead at the Janki Foundation and works as a product analyst at eClinicalWorks.
IPA’s NextGen Task Force developed the award criteria and selection process. The organization plans to present the award annually.
