I am originally from India, but have been living in the US for almost 30 years. I came to the US at the age of 17, after graduating from high school. Candidly, being a cricket player and representing India, going to college was not on the list of priorities. Being a teenager with no worldly knowledge, and having fame was extremely gratifying. However, being raised in a family that cherishes and values formal education, I was forced by my father to leave India to come to the US to pursue higher education. Oh! How disappointed I was to let go of the dream of becoming a world class cricket player.

The first two years in the US were torturous. The language was a problem. In addition, the British English with Indian pronunciations were only compounding my depression. However, gaining strength from faith, prayers and religion, I was awakened one fine day to delve seriously and sincerely into studying and college work. This is not to say that I did not despise my father. I hated going to school and studying. I hated responsibility. I hated being alone and not famous. Little did I know that one day this was going to make me responsible and productive member of the society. I am always reminded of Mark Twain’s wise quote: When I was 13, my father was a terrible fool. When I was 16, he was rather less of a fool; and when I got to be 20, I was surprised to discover how clever my father had become."

I have been in the field of computers and information technology for numerous years. I have served as Academic Systems and Network Manager at Hampton University. At Hampton, I managed a team of students and IT personnel within a technically oriented support and data center academic environment. While at Hampton, I was selected by AT&T Labs to serve as Senior Technical Staff Manager. Six years at AT&T afforded experience in corporate America where I traveled to numerous customer sites all across Europe to tackle high-volume, 24x7 heterogeneous hardware, and software and network environments.

I am also an entrepreneur in that I have owned a few retail stores for the last 15 years. My recent endeavor is a Bruster’s Real Ice Cream store in Chesapeake, Virginia. This store has been opened with the goal of bringing in children who are physically, emotionally or mentally challenged. I have a son who is a Down syndrome child. My other son recently completed his M.D. and has embarked on his residency in Internal Medicine.

As I am ageing, graying and balding, I am becoming more philosophical and spiritual where I am asking questions as to my purpose. What is life? What is the purpose? Why am I here? I ponder: True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness.