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Dr. Anil and Mrs. Anju Joshi contributed $150,000 to the SAGA Foundation, helping inspire new donor support for scholarships and junior girls’ golf.
The South Asian Golf Association (SAGA) held its 22nd Open Annual Golf Outing at the Cobblestone Creek Country Club on September 19, bringing together members, families, guests, sponsors and volunteers for a day that celebrated golf, community and philanthropy.
SAGA has grown from a circle of golf-loving friends into an organization with more than 100 members. This year’s program attracted more youth, students, junior golfers, and women.
All proceeds from SAGA activities now benefit the SAGA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, which advances the organization’s mission of promoting health, life skills and inclusion through golf, with a particular focus on youth and women.
$150,000 Gift Strengthens the SAGA Foundation
A centerpiece of the evening was the recognition of longtime supporters Dr. Anil Joshi and Mrs. Anju Joshi, parents of the late Anish Joshi, whose love of golf helped inspire SAGA to think beyond simply playing the game and toward giving back to the community.
The Joshi family has supported the SAGA Tour for over a decade by providing the championship vacation and cash prizes associated with the Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy. They also made SAGA’s college scholarship program possible through annual support of $5,000 for the past nine years, benefiting two dozen students.
During the past year, Dr. and Mrs. Joshi made an additional $150,000 contribution to the SAGA Foundation. The gift will help SAGA expand its charitable mission while honoring Anish Joshi’s memory and his love for the game of golf.
“The Joshis’ generosity has helped us turn SAGA into something much larger than a golf organization. It is allowing us to create opportunities for young people, support students and grow the game in our community while keeping Anish’s legacy alive,” said SAGA Founder and President Mahesh Yadav.
Besides Mahesh Yadav, the Board of Trustees that are the driving force behind SAGA Foundation are: Uday Patel, Sanjay Seth, Paresh Desai & Vinay Bahuguna.
Generosity Inspires New Support for Junior Girls’ Golf
The impact of the Joshi family’s support is already encouraging other donors to step forward. Longtime SAGA supporter Rajiv Rudra of Long Island has committed funding for a new incentive program designed to encourage junior girls from the tri-state area to compete at a higher level.
Beginning in 2027, eligible girls aged 18 and under will be able to earn awards of $1,000 for winning a recognized 36-hole tournament, $1,500 for winning a high school county championship, and $2,000 for winning a state championship. As the initiative begins to take shape, Vidhi Lakhawala received the $1,000 Rajiv Rudra / SAGA Award, recognizing her achievement and supporting SAGA’s growing commitment to junior girls’ competitive golf.
Scholarships and a Growing Next Generation
SAGA awarded 2026 college scholarships to Vidhi Lakhawala ($2,000), a University of North Carolina student, and Nesa Shah ($1,000), a University of Pennsylvania student. The awards continue SAGA’s commitment to helping young people pursue their education while remaining connected to the game of golf.
A Year of Growth on and off the Course
The 2026 season also included SAGA’s first two-day Ryder Cup and continued competition through the UHC Cup, SAGA Open and year-long SAGA Tour. The annual awards program recognized tournament winners, flight winners, low-gross performance and the 2026 SAGA Tour Champion, who received the Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy.
SAGA also celebrated greater participation by women, including its first women’s foursome earlier in the season and another women’s foursome at the SAGA Open, as part of a broader effort to make golf more welcoming and accessible across the community.
2026 SAGA Open and SAGA Tour Winners
Deep Thapliyal captured the 2026 SAGA Tour Championship and the Anish Joshi Memorial Trophy. The championship prize includes a one-week vacation anywhere in the world, sponsored by Dr. Anil and Mrs. Anju Joshi. Faisal Ali was named Most Improved Golfer after lowering his handicap from 9.9 to 3.8.
At the 2026 SAGA Open, Jacob McGill posted the low gross score with an even par 70, while Bharat Khambadkone recorded the highest Stableford total with 39 points.
Closest-to-the-pin honors went to Faisal Ali on No. 2 (14 ft. 4 in.), Anish Batki on No. 4 (3 ft.), Daljit Behl on No. 7 (2 ft. 8 in.), Varun Malhotra on No. 11 (1 ft. 3 in.), and Priti Shetty on No. 14 (7.5 in.).
The UnitedHealthcare Cup was won by Gate Squad, captained by Amit Parekh. The winning team also included Deep Thapliyal, Deepak Chandrashekhar, Jayesh Parikh, Richie Bhojani, Rishi Bunsee, Sanjay Seth, Varun Malhotra and Anil Parikh.
About SAGA
Founded in 2004, the South Asian Golf Association brings golfers together through competition, friendship and community service. Over 22 years, SAGA has grown to more than 100 members while expanding its focus on youth, women, scholarships and charitable initiatives through the SAGA Foundation.
