A Lasting Remembrance

He was a man for all ages, futuristic, leader, community organizer, music lover, and he was also my father. He was the perfect blend of someone with a global mindset with ancient values inheritance. He taught me how to lead with inner strength, fortitude, and righteousness. He guided me through the ways of life in a world (India) that is starkly different and often rumbustiously chaotic from the one I live in now (USA). But he never faltered when things got tough. My dad was the kind any girl would be proud of because, in a world where men ruled and treated women as second-class citizens, he made not just one but all three of his daughters inside out strong, empathetic, surefooted, and self-reliant.

I remember when my father became the Sarpanch, the head of a local government council of 22 villages, how many people from neighboring villages poured in regularly to seek justice. The gatherings were often enormous, loud, and noisy, and the disputes ranged from family squabbles to business and political issues. Even at a tender age, I could see the leadership, strength of character, and utmost compassion my father demonstrated in his observations and rulings. He was indeed a reverend father figure of the area, and he never lost sight of doing what’s best for the local communities.

I also remember when he put the government funds to good causes, built new roads, set up electricity poles and power around the village. Such work was the first, and the only time a politician had done to benefit the community without ulterior motives. You see, my father saw his role as being able to serve the people and give back the power to improve people’s living conditions. Unfortunately, the current day situation in those villages is a far cry from this history. As I reflect on my father’s contributions, I am humbly reminded that what he could do (even at the most basic level of government – the Sarpanch) no other politician has ever since done for the overall wellbeing and development of these villages. Indeed, it is never the position that one holds that begets the best work, but the power of one’s intentions will make all the difference in the world for just themself or everyone.

Imagine for a moment, if all the politicians thought and acted like my father did, how different India would have been today. But the large majority of politicians, from the lowest to the highest level, are more busy amassing their personal wealth and real estate than doing what people voted them for them to do. Our politicians are the single biggest reason why India lagged behind China when the two nations were on an equal footing about 20 years ago. So what happened? The answer is in what didn’t happen. China was able to curb its corruption at every single level of its system of organization and governance. But India is riddled in a never-ending vicious cycle of egregious corruption from the bottoms up. That’s why we are far away from any real progress or nobility of work under the current political environment. But I am ever so humbled to recognize that my father could do and accomplish so much for his community given the short time he had.

As Maya Angelo said, “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” That’s how my father’s name now lives on in the hearts and minds of people he touched.

Yes, my father was one of those people who give more than they take away. He lifted people out of nothingness; he helped them develop confidence; he helped them build and grow their lives and careers. He could do all this and much more mainly because of his family’s long-standing history and legacy. You see, my father was raised at a time of abundance and opulence but with a higher consciousness of being a contributing member of society, a philanthropist, and an architect for a better tomorrow for everyone. His name will go down in history as being able to carry forth the legacy of what his family stood for: improving the social and economic conditions of entire communities and promoting universal brotherhood. And I remember him fondly on this day, the day he died, as someone who taught me how to be of service to others, holding my head high, fighting for justice and equality for all, and navigating this exponentially changing world with a strong moral compass.