Glitz and Glamorous kick-off for the 2013 Tiger Ball

Hotel ZaZa set the stage for Asia Society Texas Center’s official launch to fundraising for its annual Tiger Ball Gala to be held April 26, 2013 with an enthusiastic kick-off on Wednesday, with more than 150 patrons. A glittering array of guests joined with gala chairs, honorary chairs, and steering committee members to set ZaZa a-buzz with excited talk of the April 26 gala.

Gala Chairs Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia, renowned members of Houston society, drew a diverse group of guests to the ZaZa’s Phantom Ballroom, mixing and mingling with signature cocktails like the tasty ‘Tiger’s Eye’. Executive Director Martha Blackwelder and Director of Development John Bradshaw, Jr. joined the Bhatia’s to tempt guests with a tantalizing preview of the upcoming celebration.

Asia Society Texas Center promises that this year’s Tiger Ball will offer something completely different from last year. A colorful reception and after party on the Festival Lawn was assured along with an elegant seated dinner, with tables lavishly set throughout the stunning building designed by the famed Yoshio Taniguchi.

Asia Society Texas Center is part of a leading global educational organization that promotes mutual understanding and strengthens partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States.

With a $1 million financial goal, gala fundraising is in full swing with the Bhatia’s leading efforts alongside a powerhouse group of Honorary Chairs—Muffet Blake, Sheida and Dr. Mohammad Etminan, Sheela and Ashok Rao and a committed Steering Committee made up of eight couples, a group that mixes long-standing Texas Center supporters with new friends, including Divya and Chris Brown, Anne and Albert Chao, Monjula and Ravi Chidambaram, Martin and Kelli Cohen Fein, Jo and Jim Furr, Leela and Nat Krishnamurthy, Judy and Scott Nyquist, and Y. Ping Sun and David W. Leebron.

Also in attendance at the Kick-off were past gala chairs Margaret Alkek Williams with Marie and Vijay Goradia, along with the current Honorary Chairs Sheida and Dr. Mohammad Etminan and Ashok Rao.

Adding sparkle to the evening were other special guests including Diane Lokey Farb, Peter Brown, Carolyn Farb, Lily and Charles Foster, Viet Hoang and Henri Merceron, Drs. Duyen Huynh and Tao Marc Nguyen, Nao Kusuzaki, Gordon Quan, Carolyn and Jimmy Robertson, Janae and Kenny Tsai, Claire Thielke, Anu and Nat Bala, Glen Gondo, Roya and Massoud Taghdisi, Corrine Williams, and Marian Minniece.

For information on tickets and table sponsorships, please visit AsiaSociety.org/Texas/TigerBall2013.