Sujata Sarda

President

Sujata has lived in Needham with her husband and young son since 2019. She finds joy in traveling with her family, experimenting with new recipes, and dancing with her son. 



Sujata has been actively involved with ICON for over three years, serving as the Secretary for two years and then the Vice President for one. Her commitment to ICON stems from a deep desire to build meaningful connections, bring the community together, celebrate Indian traditions and spread awareness about them, and help the next generation embrace the richness of their cultural roots.

In her professional life, Sujata is the Head of Market Access for a Biotech. Her work focuses on ensuring patients can access life-changing therapies by shaping strategies grounded in evidence and empathy. 

He has lived in Needham for the last 12 years with his wife and two daughters. In his professional life, Hemant is a hydrologist and works in natural catastrophe risk modeling, serving the insurance industry.

Earlier, in India, he had been a scientist at the National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee, and has also served as a consultant to a World Bank’s National Hydrology project. Besides the day job, Hemant loves to be on courts and playgrounds in Needham, enjoying various sports with friends and developing lasting friendships. 

Hemant is excited to be part of ICON and wants to expand its outreach to more families, helping create opportunities for learning, spreading, and celebrating Indian ethos and culture.

In professional life, Akshay is an MBA, CPA with almost two decades of experience in corporate finance and accounting. His experience ranges from small startup firms to big publicly traded companies dealing in consumer-based products, manufacturing, food delivery, and health care.

In his free time, you can find him in the mountains walking and hiking.

Raja Shaikh

Social Chair

Newly moved to the US in search of knowledge while embracing the richness of Indian culture. I feel privileged both, for the Indian upbringing, and progressive mindset of the US that helped me realize my potential. I am enthusiastic about promoting Indian culture and bringing together the diverse diaspora. Despite having a family of four in Needham, I feel belonged to a more extensive family of friends and acquaintances.

As a pediatric interventional radiologist, I have developed a sense of compassion that has helped me appreciate the true essence of life- compassion and celebration of human spirit.

Being exposed to the best of both worlds, I am eager to use experiences to bring people together by promoting cultural exchange and fostering unity.

Sanjeev Jha

Marketing and Membership Chair

Meet Sanjeev – Needham’s Cricket Cheerleader

Do you know, Needham's chai-wala?  If you've been in Needham long enough, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Sanjeev – either over a hot cup of chai or in the middle of a spirited cricket game he somehow convinced you to join. he has knack for bringing people together, serving chai, and make Needham feel a little warmer, a little friendlier, and a lot more connected.

From rallying friends for a last-minute cricket match, to organizing gatherings that somehow always end up with laughter (and snacks), he’s the friendly face you’ll see encouraging everyone to connect, participate, and have fun.

If you see him around, don’t be surprised if you leave with a smile… and a new weekend plan you didn’t know you needed.

Ektaa Patel

Communication Chair

She has lived in Needham with her husband and son since 2009. Professionally, she has 20 years of experience in healthcare operations.

She is passionate about improving same day access and creating team-based care for the patients. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family and spend time with family and friends. She is excited to be a part of the ICON board and looks forward to serving this community.

Ravi Talasila

IT Chair

Ravi has been a Needham resident since 2015 with his wife and 2 kids. Professionally, Ravi is a Product Manager at a prominent industry leader specializing in M&A. He is dedicated  to developing cutting-edge products driven by artificial intelligence, utilizing AI technologies to enhance user experiences, drive business growth, and tackle intricate challenges.

On a personal level, Ravi enjoys sports, engages in running and hiking activities. He derives great satisfaction  from nurturing understanding, appreciation, and unity among diverse groups, and actively seeks to bridge relationships within the community. New Paragraph

Karan Bhagat

Youth Ambassador

He is a product leader working at the intersection of Semiconductor and Software industries. His work spans across next generation technologies including Multi-Physics Simulation, Cloud, High-Performance Computing (HPC), 5G/6G, Autonomous Vehicles,

Electrification, and Internet of Things (IoT). He is an R&D Manager at Ansys, a world-class engineering simulation software provider that enables businesses to design and produce state-of-the-art technologies faster and at a lower cost.

At Ansys, Karan drives collaboration across multiple product groups, and oversees product

strategy and R&D, quality management, and development operations. Karan has received

recognition for his leadership achievements and intra-praneurial innovations. Additionally, Karan

is an investor in early-stage startups and advises them on achieving scale. He previously

co-founded a startup that earned 2nd place among 20+ teams at AngelHack.

Karan deeply believes in the importance of fostering and mentoring youth. Through his work,

Karan takes an active role in coaching and training, being a leader driven by EQ, and being part

of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. In his Buddhist practice, Karan served as a

Young Men’s Division Leader, through which he helped youth foster their personal growth, and

achieve success and happiness.