Student fundraising group Seva raised $2,300 to feed children in India at a charity event celebrating South Asian culture on Oct. 28. 

The sounds of music, cheers from the crowd and aromatic scents of Indian food all emanated from the William C. Powers ballroom during the Saanj fundraiser, hosted by Seva. The student-run organization donated the gathered money to Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organization whose proceeds go towards providing meals to children in India.

At the ticketed event, participants enjoyed South Asian food and a variety of cultural performances including dance and musical teams  UT Saaya, Texas Taraana, Texas Dhoom, Texas Raas and Hum A Cappella.

One of the main objectives of the event was to fundraise towards their cause, Seva events officer Azim Panjwani said.

“Every single year, we make it our mission to raise as much money as possible through these donations, and through the help of all these UT students,” Panjwani said.

Panjwani said the effort that Seva poured into creating the best event they could paid off.

“Saanj was one of our biggest events, and we raised $2,300, (which is) enough to feed 115 kids for a full year,” Panjwani said. “It’s super awesome, after planning everything out, seeing everything happen in real life and the actual outcome.”

Neuroscience freshman Dhruv Patel, who attended the event, said he is passionate about doing his part to give back to his community in India through the charity.

“People take education for (granted over here), but (in India), people are starving especially because there’s a huge population, and (quality) education there is not free,” Patel said. “So it’s good that we’re helping them with food so they can save money on that.”

Another goal of Saanj, Panjwani said, was to provide an environment where participants can celebrate Indian culture through food and performance, which helps to foster a greater sense of community for all.

“I hope that (at this event) more people participate in our culture and are able to see and learn more about our culture,” said biochemistry freshman Anvita Bhatt, who attended the event.

The event aimed to bring together individuals affiliated and not affiliated with Seva and to promote student involvement, Panjwani said.

“We want to ensure that all of these Seva members and non-members come together to enjoy a night of celebration through these performances,” Panjwani said. “We want to promote inclusiveness and celebrate their culture.”