An Immigrant’s Journey: The Inspiring Story of My Grandfather, Rajvir Singh By Ayan Chhatrala
Rajvir Singh’s life
is the quintessential example of a rags-to-riches story. He started in a tiny, poor Indian village still under British rule and ended up in swanky offices in Silicon Valley. His big dreams, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit drove him to succeed beyond his expectations as an Indian immigrant in America. In doing so, he also helped pave the way for other immigrants, especially tech immigrants from South Asia. Singh’s story also shows that immigrants are a net benefit for America and can help to create wealth for all.
newly-formed Indian government and didn’t have much family wealth or savings to fall back on. “My grandfather would wake up at the crack of dawn and work till dusk in the fields, toiling away just to be able to put food on the table for his children,” recalls Mona Singh, Singh’s eldest daughter who was born in India and spent her early childhood there.
Singh didn’t have much growing up - some pajamas, a couple of pairs of clothes, a pair of school shoes and slippers - constituted his entire wardrobe. TV, phone, and even electricity were unavailable in his household; food was cooked on a mud stove which used cow dung as fuel. But his mother gave him loads of love Singh led a quiThe village lacked basic and affection and his et childhood in a small amenities like electricifather taught him village in Northern India the value of hard ty and running water, so called Idrishpur. Life was work and endurance. he used to complete his not easy in India. When Growing up, Singh Singh was born, India homework by the light of focused diligently was still under British a lamp at night. on reading and dorule and wouldn’t gain ing his schoolwork, independence until Auwhich earned him high grades in gust 15, 1947. British colonists had exschool. He excelled in his studies tracted much of India’s resources, turning and often ranked first or second it from a rich country to a poor one. Thus in his school. Singh’s high school his father, like many of the small farmers was six miles away, and he would in India’s predominantly agrarian society, have to walk or bike there and back received few resources or help from the every day, even in inclement weath-