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 Member
Narayan 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 Member
Dr. 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 Member
Swatantra 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.ata Sharma Goel is a prominent nephrologist specializing in kidney disease, dialysis, and transpla
Board Member
Brij 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 Member
Gaurav 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 Member
Simi 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 Member
Ajay 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
Dr. Dharmesh Patel
Dr. Dharmesh Patel is a Houston-based physician and longtime community supporter. He has been involved with Magic Bus Houston for several years, helping advance the organization’s work to empower underserved children and youth through education, mentorship, and life-skills development.
His service reflects a commitment to using community leadership and philanthropy to create meaningful opportunities for young people. Through his involvement with Magic Bus, Dr. Patel supports the organization’s mission of helping children move from childhood to livelihood and build brighter futures.
Board Member
Nikhil Shah
Nikhil Shah is a Principal of Shah Family Office, a diversified family business focused on international trade, logistics, real estate, and private investments. He has helped grow operations across the United States and international markets with a focus on long-term partnerships and value creation.
Nikhil serves the community in many ways, including as Chief Trustee of the Jain Society of Houston, Past Chair of the Finance Committee for Texas Southmost College, and a Board Member of Magic Bus USA, supporting initiatives focused on education, mentorship, and creating opportunities for underserved youth and families. He lives in Sugar Land with his wife, Lopa Shah, and their two daughters. Outside of work and community service, Nikhil enjoys skiing, sunny beaches, and traveling with friends and family.
Board Member
Dr. Nikita Shukla
Dr. Nikita Malani Shukla is a pediatric neurologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine. Her clinical work includes pediatric neurology and neuroimmunology, and she is also listed as Program Director of the Pediatric Neuroimmunology Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Shukla earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also involved with Magic Bus Houston, supporting its mission to help children and youth in India access education, mentorship, and pathways out of poverty.
Board Member
Ash Shah
Ash Shah is the Founder of IMPEX Capital Group, a Houston-based commercial real estate investment firm formed from Shah Family Office, which was established nearly 30 years ago. The firm owns and manages more than $2.1 billion in properties across nearly 20 states, with investments spanning multifamily, industrial, commercial office, retail, mixed-use, hospitality, assisted living, storage, and land development.
Prior to entering commercial real estate, Ash was the founder and CEO of Impex Global, a plastic films, paper, and packaging products company, which he successfully sold to a private equity firm in 2012. He holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and has been recognized by the Houston Business Journal, Inc. 5000, the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, and Forbes Finance Council.
Board Member