SELFLESS SERVICE

Viren Babubhai Joshi left his comfortable life and corporate job in Chicago to go back to his roots in Gujarat and work for underprivileged children
Manav Sadhna a charitable organization started in Chicago and Ahmedabad, by Viren Joshi works on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi
Joshi’s story is an inspiring tale of coming to America building a life from a scratch, riding the corporate ladder in Chicago and then listening to the heart and returning to roots to serve the poor.

“When you work with children you work for God and helping the less privileged is the best sadhna (meditation) ever.”
This is the philosophy with which Viren Babubhai Joshi has led his life. Joshi is one of the founder members of a charitable organization called Manav Sadhna that is based in Gandhi Ashram Gujarat and also has a chapter in Chicago.
Today the NGO, works for the upliftment of more than 10,000 children from the slums and poor backgrounds in Ahmedabad and has been actively involved in several rehabilitation projects across the world.
The organization works at the grassroots level in Ahmedabad and helps in providing basic health, hygiene, education and creative development opportunities to children coming from less privileged backgrounds. Manav Sadhna also organizes societal support and food donation drives for the elderly in the community. The charitable institution also holds health camps and has volunteered during natural calamities such as the Kutch earthquake, Tsunami and Nepal earthquake.
Viren Joshi, a Chicago resident has been involved in all these noble efforts and has dedicated his life to it. Joshi’s story is an inspiring tale of coming to America building a life from a scratch, riding the corporate ladder in Chicago and then listening to the heart and returning to roots to serve the poor.
Joshi spent most part of his life shuttling between Chicago and Ahmedabad to balance his professional and philanthropic activities. He is currently based in Ahmedabad India and travels to Chicago less frequently owing to his mother’s old age. His social work in Ahmedabad is in full swing and he owes the success of the Chicago chapter of his trust to the integrity of Indians in Chicago who believe in giving back to the community that nurtured them.
Joshi in conversation with Hi India traces his journey from Ahmedabad to Chicago and then back to his people in Gandhi Ashram at Ahmedabad.
He stresses how both Ahmedabad and Chicago shaped his life and will always be home to him.

STARTING LIFE IN CHICAGO
Viren Joshi was born and brought up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. His father Babubhai Joshi was a freedom fighter and he was brought up on principles of giving back to the society. When his father retired in early 80’s the financial responsibility of the family fell on him and his brother’s shoulders. In 1982 when he was 25, he along with his brother traveled from India to far away land of America to look for a promising future. Since he had relatives here he emigrated hoping to make a life of financial security in Chicago. However Joshi admits that struggles awaited him in Chicago. Early 80’s were a tough time and unemployment was huge. It wasn’t as easy to find a job. But Viren persisted and took up whatever work he got. From working in TJ Maxx to doing night shifts, he worked diligently to make his life comfortable in the new country he called home now. During this time he also enrolled himself for higher education. By now he had found himself a job in a firm that manufactured aluminum parts for automobiles. He worked hard and rose to the position of quality control manager and then plant manager. Joshi says, “When I was comfortable enough in Chicago to support my family I called them here.”

FOLLOWING THE HEART
According to Joshi he always had this quest to work for those not as blessed by fate. He says, “Coming from Ahmedabad I have always been a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi’s teachings. I wanted in my own little way bring some equilibrium to the society. Despite my promising life in Chicago I yearned to travel to small villages in India and work with the poor.
In 1989 I made the hard decision to quit my job and work for poor children. At that time I was making about $56k annually and it didn’t really seem logical to say good bye to a career like that but I knew that I had to take a tough call to find inner peace.”
He adds, “I came to India with my mom and used my savings to serve poor children in the slums of Ahmedabad. I used to spend time with children, carry food for them. I knew I had to find a way to take my service ahead.”

LEADING LIGHT
“During all these years I remembered a story I read back in New York in a Gujarati newspaper. It was about Padmashri recipient Ishwarbhai Patel who was based in Gujarat and had been doing exceptional work with the downtrodden Harijan community. I began looking for him in the Gandhi Ashram. He was a veteran social worked and a sanitarian. I found him and there was an instant connection. He was like a father figure to me and I am eternally indebted that he allowed me to come and serve with him. With guidance I got involved in Water Awareness program which was a World Bank Project. For this we traveled in the deep interior villages. We used to travel in state transport buses it was hard but satisfying. Ishwarbhai’s son Jayesh Patel and his daughter in law Anar Patel came along with me in the project and together we worked towards this common goal. We came back with a greater resolve to work more and we began serving around the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad. With Ishwarbhai’s guidance we began working with slum kids who were ridiculed as untouchables owing to the cleaning work their families did. It broke my heart to hear their stories of disparity. We started with four children and slowly we were working with 35 children. But it was also around this time that my Green Card was expiring and my savings were running out. I came back to Chicago and my family moved by what I was doing decided to support me.”

LIFE IN CHICAGO
“It was in 1990 that I moved back to Chicago but I wanted to continue my philanthropic activities. I wrote a letter to Ishwarbhai stating that with his blessings I would want to start a non-profit in Chicago aimed at helping countless children back home who are denied a decent life. During those times email wasn’t yet born and writing a letter meant waiting days to have it delivered. I remember I waited a month and half and I got finally got a reply where he gave me his blessings and a go ahead. I clearly remember that night in my flat in Prospect Nights in Chicago when I couldn’t sleep thinking names for the non-profit. So in 1992 our labor of love Manav Sadhna was born in Illinois with the main purpose of supporting the philanthropic activities in India. My brother Anurag Joshi and his wife Neha Joshi joined us in our journey. Initially we did a small fundraising. My brother and I are both engineers and we have a knack of carpentry so we carved small temples. We used to invite people and gifted them these small temples and I am happy to say that they donated generously. We were able to raise initial $4-5k by the support of Indian community in Chicago.
One thing that struck me about Chicago was the immense love I received here not just from Indians but Americans too. I remember by now I had taken up a job to support myself and when I told my boss that I want to leave my job and dedicate my life to social work he was moved and offered me the flexibility of working six months and spending the rest of the six months in India to work with the poor. Tell me who would give an offer like that? Later when I once took my boss to India and showed him the work we were doing, he offered me more flexibility. If people in Chicago were not full of so much love then I would not have been able to realize my dream today.”

THE MISSION
“Until 2013-14 I spent my time equally in India and America. But with my ageing mom frequent traveling became a problem also since my Green card restricted my longer stay in India I chose to take the citizenship. For the past few years I am stationed in Ahmedabad with my mom and spend my day serving children and elderly. People often ask me if I am married or I have children. I tell them I have 10,000 children that I take care of everyday! I never married because I was so involved in my cause that I just focused on it.
I am happy that the dream I saw with Manav Sadhna got accomplished. I also got like-minded people along who helped me in my cause. Even though Ishwarbhai Patel is no more, as my guru and founding President of MS India his vision still guides us. Jayesh and Anar Patel along with Ashok Patel and Vandana Agarwal who are trustees of MS India provide their invaluable services to the cause and in Chicago my brother Anurag and his wife Neha Joshi along with Paresh Patel and Ratna Patel who are trustees of MS USA have been lending the cause their unstinted support.
Today we share the common goal of feeding one more child and helping one more soul and in it we find supreme happiness.”