Arunay Foundation is honored to be named Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 24 by Assemblymember Alex Lee. The foundation is a tribute to Arunay Pruthi, whose loss to a sneaker wave in 2021 sparked a mission to prevent future tragedies through water safety education, awareness and access to life-saving tools. Receiving this recognition in May—National Water Safety Month and Arunay’s birthday month—makes it all the more meaningful.
“It is my honor to recognize the Arunay Foundation as our district’s 2025 Nonprofit of the Year,” said Assemblymember Alex Lee. “In memory of Arunay Pruthi, his family founded this foundation and has dedicated themselves to preventing beach tragedies.
“Sharmistha Chakraborty and Tarun Pruthi turned their grief into purpose, and the story of Arunay has touched the lives of so many in our communities,” added Lee. “The Arunay Foundation is significantly improving beach safety by raising awareness of the dangers of our coastal waters.”
The organization has:
• Installed over 25 life-saving rings along Northern California’s coastline—some of which have already been deployed to save lives.
• Delivered beach safety talks in schools and community centers, sparking vital conversations about the often-overlooked dangers of coastal waters.
• Hosted an annual Beach Safety Run/Walkathon in Arunay’s memory.
“We’re so thankful to Assemblymember Lee for this honor,” said Sharmistha Chakraborty, co-founder of Arunay Foundation. “This recognition is deeply personal…Every life ring we install and every story we share—we do it with the hope that no other family faces the pain we live with each day.”
The next Beach Safety Run will be held in Half Moon Bay on Saturday, Sept. 27. To learn more, visit arunayfoundation.org.
