Standing R to L : Sunny Surana, Nishant Munjal, Gurjit Sawhney, Samudra Vijay, Malay Jindal. ALL PHOTOS: Courtesy NCIAP
More than 500 community members, executives, business leaders, and physicians gathered at the Sheraton RTP (Research Triangle Park) to celebrate the 15th Annual Gala of the non-profit North Carolina Indo-American Physicians-People’s Medical Care.
The group, which has worked at expanding affordable healthcare access across the state, also held the gala as a fundraising initiative to support its future activities.
The Chief Guest at the gala was North Carolina State Senator Jay Chaudhuri, who spoke about the achievements of NCIAP, noting, “I know that each and every one in this audience is a chief guest because frankly none of what the People’s Medical Care does would be possible without the generosity and service of so many of you in the audience. so, to everyone tonight, I say thank you.”
Senator Chaudhuri also spoke about the achievements of the Indian American community since he was a child. “In just fifty years, we’ve produced CEOs, doctors, deans of universities, non-profit leaders, actors, and even elected officials. In my profession of public service, I never imagined watching the 2024 race for the White House where we had an Indian-American vice president on the Democratic side and two Indian Americans on the Republican side. Of course, there is also the Second Lady of the United States today,” Chaudhuri said.
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The gala brought together a cross-section of the community, including major corporations, financial institutions, medical establishments, and civic leaders committed to advancing health equity and community reinvestment, a press release from NCIAP said. Sponsors, ranging from Silver to Platinum levels, are able to measure the impact of their donations – NCIAP estimates that every $500 donated enables it to serve 10 additional patients.
Organizers said contributions ranged from $300 for the individual passes to major sponsorships and corporate gifts of up to $50,000 help bridge the financial gap that allows NCIAP to provide care to more than 5,000 uninsured and underinsured adults each year.
Founded in 2011, NCIAP was created to address a growing need for accessible healthcare among individuals without insurance or those unable to afford traditional medical systems.
The NCIAP says it operates with a direct-pay model, and offers high-quality primary and specialty care, with most visits starting at just $55, the press release said. Services include chronic disease management, women’s health, preventive screenings, respiratory and gastrointestinal care, musculoskeletal treatment, and on-site laboratory services.
Over the past 15 years, NCIAP has served more than 60,000 patient visits through its Raleigh clinic, helping reduce reliance on emergency rooms and urgent care facilities while delivering consistent, compassionate care, organizers say. For many patients, the NCIAP represents their only reliable access to healthcare.
The evening also included recognition of long-serving volunteers and supporters, including volunteer physician and board mentor Dr. Bal Krishan Agarwal, Human Resources Director Sangeeta Saxena, and longtime community partner Anita Punj for her years of childcare support during gala events.
A report on the history of NCIAP written by Sonali Sethi, the organization was co-founded in 2011 by Dr. Vinod Jindal, M.D., Dr. Vandana Devalapalli, M.D., Dr. Samudra Vijay, Ph.D., and Gurjit Sawhney, M.B.A. “NCIAP’s mission of ‘hassle-free healthcare for all’ offers both basic and specialist health services to anyone who needs care, whether or not they have insurance.