What motivated you to get started?

In 2001, I witnessed firsthand the impact of HIV/AIDS in India, especially on women and children. I was working at a Government Maternity Hospital in my home state of Andhra Pradesh and was personally moved by the stories shared by many of the pregnant women who were infected and also wrongly stigmatized by their husbands, families and healthcare providers. A few years later after working with UNICEF in New York, I felt it was an opportune time to make greater change in India and against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With the epidemic growing, I strongly believed in creating an organizational structure in the USA to bridge the vast resources from the USA to the frontlines of the fight in India. I decided then to take this big leap forward in my career and to dedicate my life to this cause and I haven’t looked back since.

What keeps you motivated?

I am motivated by the impact we achieve in India. For example, last November we held an online charity auction in partnership with eBay to benefit children fighting HIV/AIDS in India. We raised $1500 across the USA that went towards supporting over 40 orphaned children with education. I traveled to India and met a large number of these children. I saw beautiful faces and beautiful smiles – and was moved by the impact we were making on their lives. For a lot of them, education wasn’t even a possibility and now this all changed for them – they had hope and courage to achieve the impossible. A few wept to tears knowing they had a decent future ahead of them because of our act of kindness. This is what keeps me motivated on a daily basis.

Like best about what you do?

I like making change – whether it be changing the life of one person in India, changing perceptions of the disease, changing a challenge to an opportunity….For me, it takes compassion, dedication, hard work, and a positive attitude to make change. ….Also, I like working with my teams in India to move various programs forward. It helps me feel connected to the cause, on-the-ground program work, and the organization in India.

Like least about what you do

I don’t enjoy asking for money, but I realize it is an essential part of my work. Over time, I have grown in this capacity and do feel more comfortable than ever before because I strongly believe in the cause and the organization. It is easier to ask for money when you know the person’s money will be well spent and will benefit people in India.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a child, I had always wanted to give back to India. Though I was born and raised in the USA, I have always been deeply connected to my native country, having made frequent trips to India where I witnessed the grim circumstances of the lesser fortunate. I expected to give back though as doctor, but along the way I realized there were several other ways to make change and make it at larger scale. Hence I received my MPH and worked with UNICEF and SAATHII, which has allowed me to make change at the national and international scale. I am thrilled now that I am making my childhood dreams come true.

Biggest pastime outside of work

I enjoy traveling to international destinations – from developed countries like France to those on the brink of major change like China. I enjoy experiencing new cultures, meeting people of different backgrounds and learning about the histories of other nations. In January and February of 2004, I backpacked through South and Central America alone. I traveled to the Southern-most tip of Chile, hiked through the Andean mountains of Peru and explored the Mayan ruins of Guatemala and the wildfire of Costa Rica. The trip proved to be more than an experience to beautiful destinations, but also one of self-exploration and enlightenment.

Person most interested in meeting and why

I would be most keen in meeting Bill and Hillary Clinton – Bill Clinton is a self-made man from a little town in Arkansas. He has accomplished so much for our country as President and for developing countries through his Clinton Foundation. I have heard him speak at the International AIDS Conference several years ago in Barcelona, Spain and have read his autobiography. I am always moved by his insight and persepective…..Hillary Clinton has excelled in her career even before she met Bill. I believe she serves as an inspiration for women as she has broken traditional career walls and still stands by her husband and daughter’s side when needed. It is hard to balance family and career when you are a woman – and I wish to learn from her in this regard.

One interesting fact about yourself

1. I love to write and am now writing a novel
2. I made a 30 minute murder mystery film called the Vendetta
3. I once swam with dolphins, sharks and sea rays.

Three characteristics that describe you

1. Honest
2. trustworthy
3. loyal

Three greatest passions

1. Making a difference in other people’s lives
2. Being a loving wife, daughter, sister and one day a mother
3. Making people smile and laugh

Favorite book

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Favorite cause (outside of yours)

Helping improve the lives of older people.

« Previous 1 2 1 2 Next »