Helen and Jesse Kalisher of Carrboro, N.C.- based Kalisher Hospitality Design Artwork, have awarded Urmi Basu with the 2012 Helen and Jesse Kalisher Humanitarian Award. Recognizing individuals for humanitarian acts, the award honors Basu for her efforts in minimizing the abuse of females and children in India.
Founded by Basu in 2000 with $200, New Light-based in Kolkata, India-supports at-risk girls, young women, and children. Basu carried on her efforts despite objections from her family, obstacles of poverty, and risks involving sex and human trafficking. New Light is now a non-profit community development project and charitable trust providing shelter, education, recreation, healthcare, and legal aid services.


“I am honored to accept this award,” says Basu. “Art plays an important part in life and it’s a good lesson to us all to see artists speaking with their voices in support of helping others.”

The Helen and Jesse Kalisher Humanitarian Award includes the gift of a signed collector’s print of one of Jesse Kalisher’s photographs. The chosen image was of the Taj Mahal at sunrise.
“[The award] is a small way for us to say thank you and to show our appreciation and respect for the tough choices that someone has made,” says Jesse Kalisher. “It’s our way of showing support and for being heard.”

