Large Indian Presence at UNICEF’s Society Ball
Nat and Leela Krishnamurthy with Margaret Alkek Williams during the red carpet photo shoot at the Wortham Center before the UNICEF Ball. Photos: Jawahar Malhotra
By Jawahar Malhotra
HOUSTON: It is one of the most coveted invitations of the year in this city and this past Friday, September 6 was an especially significant one for the Southwest Regional Chapter of UNICEF at its Audrey Hepburn Society Ball at the Wortham Center. It was a sold out event that brought together the cream of Houston’s society, and with it came some of the lustrous people from our own Indian community.
Nat and Leela Krishnamurthy with US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and her husband Dr. Elwyn C. Lee, VP for Community Relations at the University of Houston.
The occasion was to celebrate the dedication and contributions of Margaret Alkek Williams to the health and well-being of children in Houston and around the world. Williams is a Director of Theatre Under the Stars and the Alley Theatre and Trustee of the Houston Ballet Foundation and the Texas Heart Institute. Her father Albert was an oilman who gave $77 million to expand the nation’s largest hospital complex, the Texas Medical Center, while her mother was an admired philanthropist and arts patron.
Williams inherited her parents’ interests and passion for philanthropy and has a busy schedule fundraising, donating and charity work. She is the chair of her parent’s foundation and even at 77, enjoys going to multiple fundraising event during the high Spring and Fall seasons.
Nidhika and Pershant Mehta pose with Board Director Kimberley DeLape.
Recognizing her tireless efforts, UNICEF made her the First United States recipient of the Audrey Hepburn Philanthropist of the Year Award at the Ball. She was lauded on stage by Hepburn’s son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer who declared that “since 2005, Margaret Alkek Williams had pushed forward, just like Audrey Hepburn had, by giving millions to all, with style and grace”. UNICEF’s goal is to bring to zero the number of children who die due to lack of vaccines. US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and her husband were also on hand to honor Williams.
Among those whom the local UNICEF board can count on for support are none other than Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, local Houstonians for many decades who have also made a mark on the Indian scene in the Bayou City.
The hot, young Italian group Il Volo posed with Williams and the emcee, TV actor Jesee Metcalfe.
“They have been part of the organization since 1988 “when UNICEF was going through a tough time locally”, recalled Nat as he and his wife waited to have their photograph taken with Williams at the red carpet session before the start of the event. As a result of their involvement, many other Indians have joined in as sponsors of UNICEF and many, perhaps two dozen of them, were present at the Ball, among them Nidhika and Pershant Mehta and Devinder and Gina Bhatia.
The entertainment was quick, crisp and to the point, with TV actor Jesse Metcalfe as the emcee. Dr. Monica G. Williams, the Managing Director of the SW Region of UNICEF introduced her Board, followed by a brief discussion of the important work done at the Texas Children’s Hospital by Dr. Mark W. Kline, Chairman of Pediatrics. There were performances by the Houston Ballet and the Houston Symphony, followed by remarks by Barron Segar, Sr. VP with the US Fund for UNICEF. The Houston Grand Opera Chorus sang “Moon River” and finally Il Volo, the hot young opera trio with a modern hip touch saluted Williams with three songs in Italian and English.
Dinner and dancing followed in the third floor foyer which was opulently decorated. After dinner which was catered by Tony’s, the band and close friends sang Happy Birthday to Williams and later participated in a rousting live auction as well as a splendid but short silent auction.