SAYVA'S MISSION
Celebrate. Serve. Connect.
With small, and sometimes large, acts of kindness, everyone can make a difference!
WHAT IS SAYVA?
South Asian Youth Volunteer Association
(residing in VA, MD & DC )
SAYVA is a nonprofit, teen-led community service organization (501c3) dedicated to celebrating culture, serving others, and connecting people to make a difference.
Rooted in the Sanskrit word Seva - meaning to serve selflessly and with dedication, SAYVA empowers teens and ambassadors to lead with purpose. Through hands-on service projects, advocacy, and cultural celebrations, SAYVA creates opportunities for young leaders to uplift their communities while fostering meaningful connections across generations.
At SAYVA, we believe that celebrating who we are, serving with compassion, and connecting with one another builds stronger, more inclusive communities.
2026 - Present
President: Sandhya Dayal
2020 - 2026
President: Sirisha Durbhakula
Executive Director: Chhavi Arya Bhargava
Cofounded in 2011 by former director Sumedha Mongia, MD.
our 2026- 2027 executive team
CEO: Aakash Reddy
COOs: Nina Krishnan & Kushi Rangnath
CFO: Aarav Chawla
CAOs: Arjun Jain & Asha Kolluri
CMO: Aarav Shah
CTO: Sohan Kilaru
CIO: Ashna Shah
OUr Committee leaders
VP Community Builders: Radha Vadlamani & Reya Kurup
VP Cultural: Shreya Vadlamani & Tulsi Gupta
VP Community Service: Sachin Wedam & Milania Ruparelia
VP Health & Wellness: Anushka Verma & Aaryan Wadhawan
VP Social Media Marketing: Karina Matalia
VP Digital Media: Shiv Jairath
VP Advocacy: Aaria Newatia
VP SAYVA Kids: Nyla Doshi
VP Party Project: Milan Singh
VP Senior Friends: Nitya Patel
VP Fundraising: Arya Patel & Nirvaan Kamboh
Editor-in-Chief: Sahil Dorawala
Director of Sustainability: Rohan Natnithithadha
📅 Upcoming events 2026-2027
Key Deadlines
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Jul 31: Early Bird registration ends (fee increases to $100 pp Aug 1)
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Jul 31: Sponsorship commitment deadline for year-round recognition
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Aug 15: NVSA application deadline
Events
Events are exclusively for SAYVA Ambassadors and their families, with two open to the public: the Diwali Mock Wedding and the Rise Against Hunger Service Project. Register today to become a SAYVA Ambassador and enjoy our full calendar of events, leadership opportunities, and community experiences.
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Aug 6-9: SAYVA Next Inaugural Kickoff Retreat, Various locations around the DMV
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Aug 30: SAYVA Leaders Social: Campfire & S'mores Night 6–8 PM (for rising juniors and seniors leaders only)
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Sep 13: SAYVA Launch Event, Vienna Community Center
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Oct 4: College Connections: Real Advice from Current Students (Zoom)
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Oct 25: Cancer Walk (location TBD)
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Nov 21: Diwali Mock Wedding, Women's Club of Chevy Chase, 6 -10 PM
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Dec 6: Holiday Party (location TBD)
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Jan: Game Night with Grandparents (location TBD)
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Feb 4–25, 2027: Career Connections, a 4-Part Thursday series with parent professionals
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Mar: Rise Against Hunger Service Project (location TBD)
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Apr: Holi Celebration (location TBD)
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May: End-of-Year Celebration & Leadership Recognition (location TBD)
Impact so far...
SAYVA teens made a tremendous impact through compassion, leadership, and hands-on service.
Fundraising Excellence
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Raised $30,000 for meaningful causes
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Contributed $10,000+ to the Tyanna Foundation, helping fund a nurse navigator system and a diagnostic imaging machine for breast cancer patients
Hands-On Service
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Prepared 200 sandwiches and 250 snack bags for the Seva Truck and local shelters
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Funded and packaged 17,000+ meals through the Rise Against Hunger Diwali Mock Fundraiser
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Provided groceries to refugee families in need
Donation Drives
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Collected 200 bags of clothing, essentials, and supplies for refugees and unhoused individuals across the DMV area
Human Connection & Outreach
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Organized birthday celebrations at homeless shelters
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Brought joy and comfort to seniors in nursing and group homes
Advocacy & Awareness
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Raised awareness for critical issues including homelessness, wildfires, earthquakes, and climate change
SAYVA youth continue to embody the spirit of service, empathy, and social responsibility, making a lasting difference in their communities and beyond.
PAST IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
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College Mentorship: Alumni guided high school students on admissions, study abroad, and the college experience.
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Fundraising & Races: 51 SAYVA teens and families raised $5,311 for childhood disease research through the Race For Every Child.
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Rise Against Hunger: Packaged over 15,000 meals to fight food insecurity.
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Diwali Mock Wedding: A cultural celebration that raised funds to feed 16,000 families.
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Community Service:
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Hosted themed birthday and holiday parties for 30+ children and mothers at local shelters.
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Donated, wrapped, and delivered 60 holiday gifts and 220 snack bags to families in need.
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Collected 250 lbs of shoes for Funds2Orgs and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
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Annual Holi & Earth Day: Combined Olympic-style games with fundraising and sustainability awareness.
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
PAST EVENTS
Over 116,000+ meals packaged and sent to impoverished countries
$152,800 raised
for our community partners
20,000+ teen service hours and counting!
SAYVA'S COMMUNITY PARTNERS
