Page 14 - Seniors Today October 2020

Anshuman’s journey to the US and back is a
twice-told tale of perseverance and success.
Born in Ahmedabad, he migrated to Kansas
in 1977 for further studies in Industrial
Engineering. Earlier on, his struggles were
plentiful because of his ‘Gujlish’ (English
parsed with Gujarati words). There were
many firsts like failing an exam because he
was unable to understand the professor’s
accent or he, a Hindu Brahmin working as
a campus janitor because he did not want
to put financial constraints on his parents.
In extraordinarily little time, he was living
the American dream of a suburban life with
weekends spent watching football amidst
family, friends, margaritas, and beer.
However, he yearned for a life of simple
living and high thinking. After fulfilling
his commitments towards his family, he set
forth to incorporate in rural Gujarat, the
core models of business excellence he had
learned in the US. ‘Anshudada’s’ vision was to
empower women and create self-sufficiency
within the agrarian economy by using locally
grown products. Today, his NGO saralvikas.
org, (a foundation named after his mother
Sarlaben) is considered a model of success in
graminudyog. His guiding beacons are his
father Krishnakant Desai, PhD, an educator
(fondly eulogised with ‘An era of education in
Gujarat has ended’ upon his death), mother
Sarlaben and Mahatma Gandhi that help him
balance his life in both worlds.
Anjali Kusurkar – Study in Perseverance
Anjali, daughter of Brigadier Bhonsale
(Infantry Regiment, Marathas),replicates
the pioneering spirit of women that
succeed in the face of all odds. She had to
make some difficult choices having been
widowed at a young age when her husband
Dileep Kusurkar, a consultant anaesthetist,
succumbed to a heart attack. She, a graduate
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experience in teaching and research helped
Anjali and Karishma
Anjali Ceramics
Brigadier Bhonsale and family
of BJ Medical College, Pune, and a career
medical professional found it hard to juggle
a career as a single parent on a meagre salary
of Rs 7,000 per month. She had no choice
but to make a heart-wrenching decision.
Leaving her daughter under the care of doting
grandparents,she accepted a position in
Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her considerable
her sail through the ‘mandatory training’
period of two years after which Karishma was
able to join her. Both mother and daughter
proceeded to make Belfast their home.
Like most NRIs, she is nostalgic about the
life she left behind but she feels it was most
opportune that she immigrated. Had she
stayed back in India she would have leaned
more on her family but the move to a foreign
country propelled her to take ownership of
her life on her own terms.
After 24 years at the NHS Hospital, she
recently retired as the department head of
Anaesthesiology (a post she held for 12 years).
She recalls facing her share of biases because
of the locals’ unawareness of the existence of
any other religion besides Christianity. In due
course, both Anjali and her daughter found
acceptance and were heartily welcomed
by the locals. Anjali visits India frequently
and her nostalgia is vividly visible in the
memories she evokes through her ceramics,
but the permanence she seeks is in Belfast.
Amol & Swati Sardesai – The Adventurers
Amol and Swati Sardesai
Exhibited Art
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #16 | OCTOBER 2020
Amol and Swati Sardesai
The story of Amol and Swati Sardesai began
in the 90s as two passionate young collegians
living in Dadar, Mumbai. In 1998, throwing
caution to the winds, these two lovebirds
with one child in arms dared to dream, and
set sail on an adventure that would lead them
to the far shores of United States and their
first port of call, St. Louis. Weathering the
usual hardships that fall upon people fresh
off the boat, they forged on finally hitching
their ‘horse and wagon’ in Houston, Texas.
They are a well-established couple with two
children set towards successful careers. Swati
Sardesai (nee Korde) is a Professor at Houston
Community College teaching creative arts and
Amol is a Creative Director at Pennebaker,
Inc. Both have Black Belts in Karate and Amol
has participated in the half iron marathon.
While Amol has won international awards
for graphic design work, Swati has had her
watercolours showcased in different parts
of the United States including Houston’s
renowned museum district. They are both US
citizens with a penchant to dream even bigger
and when asked if the clock could be turned
back would they do things differently they
say, “We were born and raised in Mumbai and
had friends from all over the world and as
thankful as we are for those experiences, we
have created a peaceful abode here now and
relish our new memories.”
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