Houston Board Members
Dr. Amita Bhalla
Dr. Amita Bhalla is a physician, artist, and philanthropist based in Houston, originally from Mumbai, India. She is a physician at Orion Medical, a practice she co-founded with her husband, Dr. Karan Bhalla, where her commitment to healing extends beyond clinical care into meaningful community impact.
She is passionate about supporting underserved children through her work with Magic Bus, including sponsoring a program for girls in the Bombay Port Trust community, one of Mumbai’s large slum communities. This mission is shared not only by her husband, but also her children, who have actively participated in service through Magic Bus.
Across every aspect of her life, Dr. Bhalla’s mission is to create ripples of joy in the world.
Board MemberNarayan Bhargava
Narayan is President of The SDB Group, a distributor of steel piping products for various applications including oil, gas, industrial, infrastructure, and fabrication. He has been involved on the Magic Bus board for 10 years. Being a Houston area and industry native, Narayan is also highly involved in community and trade organizations in various leadership roles.
Board MemberDr. Namrata Sharma Goel
Dr. Namrata Sharma Goel is a prominent nephrologist specializing in kidney disease, dialysis, and transplantation at Houston Methodist Hospital. She earned her B.S. from Baylor University, her M.D. and residency at McGovern Medical School at UT Health and completed a nephrology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. A trailblazer, she became the first woman and youngest partner at Kidney Health Center, guiding the expansion of several dialysis clinics and surgical centers. Dr. Goel is a national speaker for Amgen and ANI Pharmaceuticals and a consistently recognized "Top Doctor."
Dedicated to philanthropy, she serves on the boards of Magic Bus USA, Pratham USA, and
India House. Her greatest pride remains her husband of twenty years, Ankur, and their
three children, enjoying global family adventures together.
Board MemberSwatantra Jain
Swatantra Jain is a prominent Houston-based businessman, investor, and philanthropist with nearly five decades of experience in international trade. He has been associated with Vinmar International Limited since 1979, joining as its first employee and later serving as Partner and Senior Vice President, helping shape the company’s growth into a global leader in plastics and petrochemicals.
He is deeply committed to education, spirituality, and community service. He is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Jain Vishwa Bharati Preksha Meditation Center Houston, a National Board Member of Pratham USA, a Board Member of Magic Bus Houston, Director-at-Large at the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, and an Advisory Board Member of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston. He lives in Houston with his wife, Bimla Jain, and they are blessed with two sons and three grandchildren.
Board MemberBrij Kathuria
Brij Kathuria brings over 25 years of operational experience at Compaq/Hewlett-Packard and a decade in the film industry to the Magic Bus board. His community leadership includes serving as former President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, alongside roles with the Pratham Houston chapter, Hindus of Greater Houston, and as Treasurer for Arya Samaj of Greater Houston.
Brij is honored to support the Magic Bus mission, dedicated to championing sustainable empowerment and long-term success for the children served.
Board MemberGaurav Khandelwal
Gaurav Khandelwal is the founder of ChaiOne, a digital innovation company helping Fortune-level leaders use behavioral science, engineering, and generative AI to transform industrial operations. Through ChaiOne’s Agentic AI services, he partners with companies in energy, supply chain, and industrial sectors to create intelligent workers and drive productivity.
He also founded Velostics, a leading smart yard and dock scheduling platform that helps logistics teams reduce detention fees, improve labor efficiency, and strengthen on-time delivery. His companies have earned multiple Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 awards for rapid growth. Beyond business, Gaurav serves on the Board of Magic Bus, supporting its mission to help children and youth in India move out of poverty through education and life-skills development.
Board MemberSimi Malikkal
Simi Malikkal is an Indo-American philanthropist whose life and work reflect a deep commitment to equity, compassion, and community empowerment. Born and raised in Calcutta, India, she moved to the United States in 1998 and has built a career of more than 25 years as a Product Manager across the insurance, pharmaceutical, and life sciences sectors.
Her dedication to service began as a high school volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity, where she supported children facing abandonment and hardship. That early experience shaped her lifelong commitment to social impact. Today, Simi serves on the Magic Bus Houston Board, supporting programs for children in India, and on the Advisory Council for the Houston Health Foundation. She lives in Houston with her family.
Board MemberAjay Patel
Ajay Patel is an entrepreneur and operator with a diverse portfolio spanning construction, emergency services, and hospitality development. He is the founder of multiple ventures, including KK Builders, A&A Restoration, and Pika Management, where he focuses on building high-quality assets and scalable businesses.
With a background in chemical engineering and an MBA in finance and operations management, Ajay brings a disciplined, systems-driven approach to business. His work is centered on execution—identifying opportunities, optimizing operations, and delivering results in complex, real-world environments.
Board Member