Ripples: Kalpana Shah brought to you by western union
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Written By Renita Bakshi
I have fond memories of walking the local park with my family and catching my mom stopping when she would see a plane fly by in the distance.
I never really understood her fascination with planes. What was the big deal? We had flown to numerous destinations on both international and domestic trips.
In our world today, flying to destinations thousands and thousands of miles away is pretty ordinary. However, about thirty years ago, flying 7,807 miles from Mumbai to New York, let alone for an eighteen- year old girl, was quite extraordinary.
Even more so for someone who had made the journey all alone to start a new life.
My mother hails from the Marwari community in Sirohi, Rajastan. Thirty years ago, the norm was that girls would study until about the tenth grade and then they would start their married life. More emphasis was placed on household chores and being a good wife than on education.
My mother was different, she always foresaw a world beyond that norm where she would create an identity of her own. My mother insisted on studying beyond the tenth grade and she did. However, when she was seventeen, her father had died abruptly and she was being forced to marry against her will by her relatives. She had to overcome resistance with her extended family to come to America as girls did not leave the house without being married. My grandfather’s friend was in US and he helped my mother to get a visa and come to America.
My mother was the first to come to America from her village in Rajastan. At the time, the whole entire village criticized her for challenging village traditions. However, later she paved the way for many others to change their destiny and make the journey to America to a life of autonomy. 
When she came to America, she worked various full time odd jobs and studied at night as she was determined to become a professional. She studied at New York University and eventually became a Software Engineer.
While my mother worked and pursued her education, she also had to support her family back in India as she had to fulfill her duty as the oldest child in the family. My mother sent money every month so that both of her younger brothers could continue their education. Furthermore, she brought my grandmother and my two uncles to America as well and assisted them in settling here.
Today, my mother is used as an example in her village. Every child knows her story and she has become a sort of an idol. Every time I go back, I experience a strong sense of pride in my mother’s accomplishment. I see where she came from and where we live today.
Many of the people still just dream of flying on a plane and many of the girls are still married really young. However, my mother’s bold step out has impacted and changed not only her destiny but mine as well. I am free to pursue any dream that I desire. Nothing ever seems impossible just as long as there is determination. Whenever I travel to see the world, I feel humbled and privileged because I know that my mother has come a long way.
