Almost three-dozen South Asian American women recently walked the ramp showcasing Indian fashion to empower women in rural India. The event, organized by the Washington area-based Kavila Entertainment and VIP Exclusive Fashion, was part of a fundraising drive by Gurgaon-based Sehgal Foundation.

According to Geert van Brandt, the Washington representative of the foundation,“For the Indian American women, walking the ramp was an opportunity to familiarize themselves further with the fate of rural women in India’s countless poor villages.”

“The audience appreciated that prominent Indian American women committed to walk the runway for the empowerment of village women in India, who despite their toil and labor, walk with grace and dignity toward a better life in the villages where Sehgal Foundation helps to strengthen women’s opportunities and self-reliance,” added Brandt.

The Women of Power show was not the only Indian event of the evening. Dancers from Studio Dhoom, based in Ashburn, VA, presented a Bollywood dance item.

Other highlights of the evening included a VIP Exclusive fashion show with designer Lili Forrest, Katya Avdeev and Nikkay Fashions Jewelry and performances by Michelle Kim, a violinist with Washington Opera.