Character & Charisma #7

My dad grew up in a small village within Mangalore. It is in the state of Karnataka in India. He grew up with four siblings in a small house. His parents had beds but the kids had to sleep on the floor. He would wake up at three in the morning to deliver newspapers on his rusted bicycle. He was and still is one of the strongest workers I know. His daily life consisted of waking up early to work, going to school, doing homework after school, and then going to his evening job. His family was very close growing up. They all relied on each other to support themselves. 

School meant a lot to my dad. It was his way of escaping poverty. After attending MIT, not the one in the US, but the one in Mangalore, he sought after a way to come to the US. He was the first and only one in his family to move to the US. Leaving his family was hard, but coming to another country without speaking the language was even harder. His job had relocated him to the US. He had started with Farmers insurance. After a few months of working there my mom had moved to the US, they both had met at the university back in India. My dad stayed with Farmers for a few years before he was offered the opportunity to start his own business. This business called, Invenger, was a software development company. Started back in 2004 with one person, the company was recently acquired by one of the leading PF firms called Great Hill Partner. Starting this new business allowed him to give back to the community in India, by creating jobs in boosting the local economy in Mangalore. 

I am inspired by my dads work because of how far he was able to come from his humble beginnings in India. Even more so, my dad was eventually able to escape poverty, create a business, and ultimately give back to the place that shaped who he is. He has not only created jobs in India through his US based company, but he has also created a foundation through his business that raises money and awareness for the underprivileged and homeless community. I want to follow along in the footsteps of my dad one day creating a business that prioritizes social awareness and service for marginalized communities. 

While I have not yet created my own company, I have continued to dedicate my time to my community. Locally, I work with A More Balanced World, where I organize fundraisers to support homeless college students. On a more global scale, I give back to my Indian community through my own foundation Sakar where we host fundraisers to support schools in impoverished villages. I am excited to go back to India this summer, to further my philanthropic efforts alongside my dad.