Washington DC [US], January 13 : The Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) held its first board meeting with newly elected members, presided over by its president, Prem Bhandari. On this special occasion, the poster for "Rajasthan Tourism Year 2025" was released to promote tourism in Rajasthan globally.

Speaking at the event, Prem Bhandari stated, "Rajasthan has immense potential to become India's leading tourist destination. To realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, every state must strive for rapid development. Thanks to PM Modi's global leadership and credibility, Rajasthan has received investment MoUs worth $350 billion. Now, it is the responsibility of the state government to work proactively to bring these investments to fruition."
The meeting was attended by several distinguished guests, including world-renowned invasive cardiologist Dr Samin Sharma and Rajasthan Foundation President KK Mehta. Former RANA presidents Anand Nahar, Haridas Kotewala, Dashrath Duggar, and Dr. Narendra Hadpawat were also present, the press release noted.
Special invitees included Captain George Stanley, Jugal Kishore Laddha of RANA, former AIA President Harish Thakkar, and BRUHUD President Ajay Patel, among other notable figures.
A significant decision made during the meeting was to commemorate RANA New York's 25th anniversary by organizing the 5th International RANA Convention this year. Notably, USD 400,000 was pledged during the meeting, according to the press release.
RANA has already hosted four international conventions in New York. Two of these were attended by the then-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, along with members of his cabinet and senior officials, while another was graced by former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, accompanied by her cabinet members and senior officials.
During the meeting, Dr Samin Sharma and Kanak Golia were honored with floral tributes for their remarkable contributions to healthcare. Both have recently installed state-of-the-art MRI machines in Jaipur and Jodhpur, significantly enhancing healthcare services in Rajasthan, the press release noted.
Additionally, RANA recognized Vice President Dr Sharad Kothari and Anita Thakkar for their achievements in being elected Secretary and Vice President of the AIA New York chapter, one of the oldest and most prestigious Indian-American organizations in the US.
Other major appointments announced at the meeting included Amit Saraf and Amit Sorewala as Joint Secretaries, Rajneesh Garg as Joint Treasurer, founding member Arvind Bhandari as Chair of International Relations, Dr Vijay Arya as Chair of CME, and Dr Ravi Murarka as Chair of Entertainment. Further important appointments are expected soon.