Dear SABA GB community:

It is a tremendous honor to serve as Co-Presidents of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (“SABA GB”) for the 2023 year. As we take over the helm from outgoing co-Presidents, Deepa Desai and Payal Salsburg, we congratulate and thank them for their hard work and dedication to the organization.

Over the past year, SABA GB has organized several virtual and in-person events to foster community among members of SABA GB, as well as between SABA GB members and members of other affinity bar organizations, including happy hours; an bystander intervention training designed to provide attendees with interpersonal tools to prevent, disrupt, and intervene in acts of harm; a mock interview event for current law students; and women’s lunch circles, which meet on a quarterly basis and serve as a space for South Asian women to nurture and develop their careers. We capped off the year with our first in-person Gala in three years, featuring a networking cocktail hour; dance performances by the MIT Bhangra group and Board Member Krithika Rajkumar; a keynote fireside chat with Krish Vignarajah, the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and past member of the Obama White House; and a multi-course handcrafted South Asian meal.

In 2023, Boston will have the honor of hosting the annual Conference of the South Asian Bar Association of North America.  This event will bring together hundreds of lawyers from South Asian heritage from all over North America.  The conference will provide a tremendous opportunity for SABA GB members to meet their peers from other chapters and learn about various topics from South Asian leaders in the legal industry.  We are looking forward to working with SABA North America to make this year’s conference a success and showcase the great city and state we call home.  In addition, we will continue to further SABA GB’s mission in promoting the advancement of attorneys and law students of South Asian Heritage, creating a forum for networking and professional development, providing ongoing legal scholarship and education, and advancing advocacy and community involvement. We will achieve these goals by planning robust social and educational events and programming, as well as working with local, state, and national bar organizations to address issues relevant to the South Asian legal community, particularly around issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the profession.

We hope you are as excited as we are for the upcoming SABA GB year. We look forward to seeing you at future events—stay tuned!

Best regards,

Darshana Indira & Anant Saraswat

Co-Presidents, SABA GB