Washington State University bestows highest alumni achievement award on Varinder Bhalla

Varinder Bhalla with family and friends receiving the WSU
Alumni Achievement Award from Executive Director Mariah Maki. ALL PHOTOS: Courtesy Varinder Bhalla

Varinder Bhalla, a graduate of Washington State University 54 years ago, was honored recently with the prestigious Alumni Achievement Award, by his alma mater, the highest recognition conferred by WSU.

The award was personally presented by Mariah Maki, Executive Director of the WSU Alumni Association, who traveled from Washington to New York for an exclusive dinner reception hosted by the university, a press release from Bhalla said. The event gathered members of the New York Chapter of the WSU Alumni Association, including Vice President Meghann Cherzan and Fran Rowley, a classmate of Bhalla from the Class of 1971.

“In recognition of your outstanding humanitarian service as Founder and President of the AWB Food Bank, and for your many philanthropic initiatives,” Director Maki is quoted saying in her presentation, adding, “We celebrate your deep compassion and unwavering dedication to the underprivileged. From New Delhi to New York, your work reflects the highest ideals of service and leadership. With heartfelt gratitude, Washington State University proudly bestows upon you its highest honor for embodying the spirit, values, and pride of a true WSU Coug.”

Since its inception in 1969, the WSU Alumni Achievement Award has been awarded to fewer than 0.2% of all alumni – less than 500 individuals out of more than 250,000 graduates, the press release said. Past recipients include luminaries such as Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul Allen.

AWB Food Bank feeding underprivileged students at a Delhi school, with food collected from five-star hotels and airlines.

Bhalla and his wife, Ratna, co-founded the AWB Food Bank in New Delhi, which has distributed nearly 15 million meals to the underprivileged over the past 30 years, by collecting excess food from hotels, airlines, and industrial kitchens, the press release said.

The WSU also honored Ratna Bhalla for her steadfast partnership and support. In a ceremony, she was inducted as an Honorary Member of the WSU Cougar Family, “in recognition of her extraordinary commitment to the couple’s shared mission.”

In an emotional acceptance speech, Bhalla said: “I may not have made it back to Pullman to receive this honor all those years ago, but having WSU come to me after 54 years feels like a full-circle moment – one that fills my heart with gratitude and deep emotion.”

“I dedicate this award to my mother, Agya Wanti Bhalla, who quietly and faithfully fed hungry people in our hometown. Watching her as a child left a lasting impression on me. She planted the seed – I simply helped it grow.”

Bhalla added, “Washington State University gave me more than an education; it gave me purpose. This recognition reconnects me with my roots and reminds me that giving back is the truest measure of success.”

Bhalla was also recently honored with a Congressional Award in recognition of his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and community service.

Varinder & Ratna Bhalla donated motorboat to the children of Sajjanpur village in Gujarat who had to swim across a turbulent river to reach school.

Among his many acts of compassion: donating a motorboat to schoolchildren in Gujarat who had no option but to swim across a dangerous river to attend school. Launching an eye-camp in his hometown of Amritsar, providing free eye exams and eyeglasses to the visually impaired.

In closing, Director Maki renewed her invitation for Bhalla to return to WSU, saying, “Your legacy is a powerful testament to how what students learn at WSU can lay the foundation for a life dedicated to service and purpose. We hope your story continues to inspire generations of Cougs to come.”