{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/dv1cj88v2m/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Mutyala, Sita"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["Foundation for Indian Studies"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Houston Public Library Special Collections"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Mutyala, Sita (interviewee)","Vavilala, Krishna (interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2015-06-19 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["eng (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Sita Mutyala, community activist and oral history interviewer for the Foundation for India Studies, relates her immigrant experience. Mutyala discusses her early education, including seven years at an Christian missionary school, as well as her introduced marriage to Bhaskar Rao Mutyala. After her marriage, Mutyala moved to the United States at 17, where she earned her bachelor's degree at Purdue University. Mutyala describes her career, her experiences with her children and extended family, and her community work and relationships. Mutyala wrote a book,\"What is Vemana Saying?,\" which has received the Mom's Choice Award and the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["digital recording, sound"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Purdue University (corporate name)","Chevron Corporation (corporate name)","Gulf Oil Corporation (corporate name)","Indian American authors (local term)","Adoption (topical term)","Houston (Tex.) (geographic)","Indian women authors (topical term)","Oral histories (topical term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["indoamerican"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Moving Image"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Sita Mutyala, community activist and oral history interviewer for the Foundation for India Studies, relates her immigrant experience. Mutyala discusses her early education, including seven years at an Christian missionary school, as well as her introduced marriage to Bhaskar Rao Mutyala. After her marriage, Mutyala moved to the United States at 17, where she earned her bachelor's degree at Purdue University. Mutyala describes her career, her experiences with her children and extended family, and her community work and relationships. Mutyala wrote a book,\"What is Vemana Saying?,\" which has received the Mom's Choice Award and the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval."]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/362/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-qxq4yf_1698433255.jpg?1698418855","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - FIS-OH0039.mp4"]},"duration":3095.42567,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/362/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-qxq4yf_1698433255.jpg?1698418855","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-houstonlibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/210/362/original/FIS-OH0039.mp4?1698418850","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":3095.42567,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nSM: For seven years.\n\nKV: For seven years. Your school day ended with a prayer -- started with a Christian prayer and ended?\nSM: Started with a prayer, yes.\n\nKV: And was there any coercion in the school to convert? \nSM: Not at all, not at all. The only thing is we have to follow the school rules of close our eyes during the prayer, and one teacher used to watch us, whether we are closing or not our eyes, but that’s about it, first half an hour, which includes announcements, prayer and everything.\n\nKV: And the medium of instruction was English?\nSM: One year they tried English medium, for all the classes, out of that seven years, so before and after was Telugu medium only. But we did study English, just like I am sure you did too, three languages; Telugu, Hindi, and English, throughout our seven years of school. So it was difficult when I came here because I was not fluent in talking in English, so in 1967 when I came, it took some time for me to get adjusted to the fluency of English, pronunciation, American pronunciation and me to be able to talk.\n\nKV: Was it a Catholic school?\nSM: I cannot recollect what section of -- sect of missionary. So I do not think it’s Catholic, I don’t know, it’s Presbyterian or Lutheran or what.\n\nKV: Many missionaries -- most of the Christian schools were several missionaries from this country or Europe also.\n\nSM: The principal actually studied here in Pittsburgh and she even had an article, and I met my principal several times when I went to India for a visit, so I used to go there and visit, and when we got married she gave us a dinner as well. And she remembered me as Chandru Sita, every time she said, oh, Chandru Sita, and she remembered me very well.\n\nKV: You must be popular.\n\nSM: Well, one time I acted as Indira Gandhi and I must have done a very good job, and the next day in the announcement she said Chandru Sita, I received so many calls about how good you did as Indira Gandhi and all that. \n\nKV: So you had the leadership quality shot up even at that early stage.\n\nSM: I don’t know about leadership quality, or just stage performance interest. \n\nKV: So that is Rajahmundry High School; was it SSLC or matriculation?\nSM: Its 12th grade called 7th form, which is -- so high school was 9th through 12th and before that 6th to 8th also I was there. So it was equal to PUC, but we study all the subjects from 9th to 12th, just like 12th grade here. So our public exams were at the end of 12th grade, which actually happened after our marriage, and then two or three days after our marriage, I did take the public exams, and I did do all right and then I continued my college here in this country after I get married.\n\nKV: So high school education is in India and until you got married? \nSM: Yes. \n\nKV: Tell me please how -- was it an introduced married, an arranged marriage?\nSM: You already called it introduced marriage so it’s when they talk about arranged marriage here, it’s not completely arranged, because our parents do the introduction and we meet each other and we talk, probably when the people are there, and maybe we do talk to one another privately just for a few minutes, like maybe 10 minutes or something like that, but we have the final say whether we do want to get married or not. \nYes, it is a risk that we are taking, just like so many other risks that we take; yes, we do have to evaluate and decide whether we do get good vibrations and we do -- what is our gut feeling, this is a good match for us and everything, and then we do give an okay. If we don’t -- if we say no, our parents do not force us, most of the parents. \n\nKV: So Bhaskara Rao garu already was in America and he came to see you in Rajahmundry?\nSM: Right.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=300.0,600.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nKV: Okay. And do you recall what were his questions at the time, introductory conversation? \n\nSM: I am trying to recollect now as you are asking, I don’t remember his questions, but I do remember seeing him for the first time. He came to the United States in 1962, and he went to University of Michigan, got Master’s and worked for a while, and then he came to India to get married, and I was one of his matches that he was looking into, whereas for me, he was the -- I guess maybe first person; there might have been one before that people asked about, which I said no. \nWell, anyway, so -- but I don’t remember his questions to me, but I do remember my question, because I was so ignorant I didn’t know what MBA stands for, so I asked him what does MBA stand for. \n\nKV: Let me tell you, I also didn’t know where America was, I mean, I didn’t really care. So like that many people didn’t know what the education system here and what does MBA stands for. \nBut you were kind of -- because of marriage you wanted obviously coming to America is a great thing that happened and people look forward to enter America for higher studies. What was your vision before you came to American? What you wanted to become in America?\n\nSM: My brother was already here in this country; he came in 1960 and did Master’s and came home, and worked for three years and came back to United States. So I already knew from him of whatever I could get about United States, but I am very much interested -- I was and I still am. My thirst for education has not completed yet. Anyway, it may take a few more lives. \nBut anyway, I was interested in education, whether in India or here. I forgot what you asked me about.\n\nKV: No, your vision before coming to --\nSM: Before coming to the United States?\nKV: Yeah, higher --\nSM: Higher education and then get into professional career is one of the thing and other than that I didn’t really have any other vision other than just live happily ever after.\n\nKV: True! How old were you?\n\nSM: 17.5, actually 16.5 or 17.\n\nKV: So which year you came?\n\nSM: 1967.\n\nKV: 1967.\n\nSM: To Muskegon, Michigan. My husband was working there so I came to Muskegon, Michigan. Within two months I started college, full-time college there. It was a beautiful campus community college there, Muskegon Community College. We recently went and we stayed there, just for our old memories. It’s three storeys, a creek running through, and Michigan has beautiful, colorful woods, winter colors and all that. So I went there for two-year college there, Associate in Science and Data Processing actually. I was interested in several subjects and my husband suggested why don’t you try the computer field and see if you like it, then I loved it.\n\nSo Muskegon had only two-year degree college, so I finished my two-year degree and then I started working as a junior programmer, because even though I wanted to finish my Bachelor’s there, they didn’t have more than that, so I started working. \nAnd then when he moved to -- when we moved to Chicago area, then I continued my education with Purdue University, so I got my Bachelor’s from Purdue in Computer Science, which was part of the math department at that time, it was a not separate department, even in Purdue.\n\nSo while working full-time I went to part-time, working at Indiana University, taking classes at both Indiana University and Purdue University to finish my Bachelor’s, and interested in having kids, and had two kids in the middle. So I juggled a lot of things. And we had a houseful of people all the time because of big family.\n\nKV: So you had completed Bachelor’s and also you did your MBA, right?\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=600.0,888.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nSM: MBA I did a lot later. So I completed my Bachelor’s, working full-time, had two kids, and then after I had the second one my husband suggested, young age of the kids is very important, why don’t you consider staying home with the kids? I thought about it, I thought it’s a very good idea, because I had them both in diapers actually. They both are very close, one year and four months apart. So I stayed at home for three years. \nDuring that three years I needed to do something to get out of the house. So after my husband came home from his office, I said, here, develop a bonding to your kids, and then I did CPA during that time. So during those three years I stayed at home, I took the necessary additional -- accounting was my minor so I did CPA during that time.  \n\nAnd then when we moved to Alabama is when I was ready to get back -- oh yeah, the deal between me and my husband was when my daughter starts kindergarten, then I will go back to work. So she started kindergarten when we went to Alabama, it’s a new place, I don’t know many people there, so I wanted to go back to work. \nThen my husband said why don’t you wait one more year till our son Subhakar also starts kindergarten? Then I said, no, I am ready. Then he said, okay, thinking that in computer field when you have a three year gap, it’s hard to find a job. So he thought maybe I will take one year to find a job, but I got my job in two weeks. So I started working over there, and then we moved to Houston in 1981. \n\nSo I continued -- I got my job here in Houston with Gulf, so I stayed with Gulf and I survived during the mergers; Gulf and Chevron merger and Chevron and Texaco merger. \nKV: You survived all?\n\nSM: I survived 16 layoffs I should say; three other years we had layoffs. I worked for 23 years, I am sure we had around 16 layoffs.\n\nKV: That means you must be really good in your work, otherwise --\nSM: I know I was good, and I survived all the computer changes, but I won’t say excellent.\n\nKV: When you started in the computer field, was it these punch cards?\nSM: Yes, punch cards. We had to type -- I mean, we had to write and somebody else punched, and then cards and feed and mainframe.\nKV: The IBM Mainframe?\nSM: Yes, IBM Mainframe. From Mainframe, to mini computers, and mini computers to personal computers, PCs, and then from there to web, so it was a lot of hard work to maintain our skills in all this.\n\nKV: I know, keep upgrading your skill sets and surviving in the job market.\n\nSM: Exactly!\n\nKV: Well, being in the computer field for the last 32 years, from your bio I see, that was a great achievement.\n\nSM: I like it, and I am glad with God’s help and my husband’s support and encouragement and family’s help and my constant hard work and then --\nKV: The way you have brought up your children, and also I noticed from your file that a wonderful thing that I really admired you for having a kid to kind of -- for somebody else, that is a great story, I just want to hear from you. How did it happen?\n\nSM: Sure! We have two children of our own.\nKV: Name them?\nSM: Yes. Sireesha Mutyala, who is married to Tom Yang, and they have beautiful two children; one son and one daughter, Shikhar and Samira. And our son Subhakar Mutyala, who is married to Swapna Reddy, and they have two beautiful children too, one daughter and one son.  \n\nKV: Both son and daughter are medical doctors, is that correct?\n\nSM: Yes. Jiah and Kavin are their names, grandchildren. I treasure my grandchildren, and God given -- God’s gifts to us.\nAnd yes, they both are doctors; Sireesha is a pediatrician and her husband is an ER doctor; and our son Subhakar is a Radiation Oncologist and his wife Swapna Reddy is a lawyer, who has an MPH and who is working on PhD in public policies. \nAfter I had them both we thought two are enough for us, and before I fixed myself one idea came to me, because my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law -- my husband is seven brothers and one sister, and that one sister did not have kids, so my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law’s family, both wife and husband they always feel very bad that they don’t have kids. So I encouraged them, why don’t you adopt an orphan? Then they were afraid of the background of the child, and what kind of experience they will have. They had lot of fears.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=888.0,1210.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nThen it dawned on to me, one year of my life can give them a whole life -- child for them. Then I thought, I consulted my husband, this is what I am thinking, if they would like, before I fix myself I will have one kid, I know it's one year of my life, but that will be helpful for their whole life. \nThen he said, sure, if that's what you want, you are the one that’s going to go through all that. Together we were going to have one additional one to give it to them. But I wanted to ask them, if they want me to, then I will, whether it’s a boy or a girl, it's their kid, from the day that the baby is born. \nThey loved the idea. They wanted the child, whether boy or a girl, and then we planned. Me and my husband had one other one, and we planned them to come to this country two weeks before the kid was born, and then from the day the kid was born it's theirs. \nSo I didn't even breastfeed, because I didn't want to develop -- as it is, there is a biological bonding, but I didn't want to develop additional bonding.  \n\nKV: A number of people adopt children from India and whereas --\n\nSM: It's the other way.\n\nKV: A very unique story and it is a great sacrifice also.\n\nSM: The one that I am very happy about is that it has been successful and very successful and there is a lot of bonding between the boy, who named the -- he is named after my sister-in-law's father-in-law and all that, so the bonding was there, a lot of bonding. So they are quite happy with him and everything. \nAnd just yesterday he called reminding us -- so he calls me Sita Aunty, and his mom, mother, and amma’s birthday, 75th birthday yesterday, so he just called us to remind him to call her to wish her 75th happy birthday.\nKV: Does he know that you are --\n\nSM: Oh, from the beginning he knows, because it's hard to hide, in India it's hard to hide. The one I am happy with is it worked out excellent and they are very happy together. And all that hard work and whatever pain I had, it's all worth it. \n\nKV: It's a great story.\n\nSM: I would have preferred them to give a home to an orphan, but this was the -- things happened that way, so that’s the only way. \nKV: That’s a unique story and wonderful gift of life to your family, close family, and that too your husband’s side.\n\nSM: Yeah.\n\nKV: Of course, I know for a long time, you came to Houston in 1981.\n\nSM: Right!\n\nKV: Ever since you have been very active in Telugu Cultural Association and various other organizations, please tell us more about your activities here? \n\nSM: I am fond of Telugu Ela, so when we came in 1981, we heard that Telugu School just started and they are looking for help and participation and everything, then I jumped at it. So I taught in Telugu School. I helped coordinate and conduct Telugu School for several years. In fact, I think you came once.\n\nKV: Yes.\n\nSM: Through ICC, as an ICC member or something like that, I don't remember.\n\nKV: No, no, I was President of Telugu Association. So I know that there are three Telugu Schools; Clear Lake, Alief, and KTA or something, which one were you running?\n\nSM: At the time when we were running there was only one; Alief was the only one, maybe later on they came. I don't know them. As I remember, at the time when I started there was only one Telugu School. \nThen we used to have -- conduct it among our parents, three months at a place, and we used to have a youth summer camp, and I used to write or direct. \nKV: Telugu School was very active; all the time they wanted a 40-minute time slot, I remember that. \nSM: Yeah. I used to direct dramas and have all the students participate and we used to participate. So our kids grew up with the Telugu School and they still --\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=1210.0,1505.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nKV: Remember.\n\nSM: Not only remember, they are still in touch and they have that bonding among the students, in Telugu Schools, wherever they go, around the United States. \n\nSo now there are quite a few Telugu Schools, I am so happy about, and what other things I got involved?\n\nKV: For the Telugu students and you have done I think paintings and you are a multi-talented person; you are an author, you are a painter, you are a social activist.\n\nSM: I don’t know whether that’s good or bad, because I feel like maybe I am putting my finger in everything and not getting mastery -- mastering in one thing, but I do have multiple interests. I may not have all the depth that I should have. I mean, I need a few more lives to get the depth you need, but yes, I used to enjoy drawing, and I used to win competitions, art competitions even in my high school. \n\nSo I continued here in this country, took some drawing classes, painting classes and did lot of, for the Telugu Phaluku, Telugu magazine in Chicago, Telugu Cultural Association, and here Madhurvani. I used to draw --\nKV: All page art was done by you. \n\nSM: Right! And then some bhavageethe, which is an expression of I guess our feelings or impressions that we get throughout our life. \n\nKV: Poetry, right?\n\nSM: Right! It’s not full-fledged poems, because I don’t have enough knowledge depth in the Telugu language, but I do have the drive to express in a simple and feeling wise, touchy way and all that. So I used to write some bhavageethe, some poetry, and some articles in both humorous and some spiritual and things like that on and off to Telugu magazines and all that. \n\nAnd then I started, after I had my grandkids is when I came up with, I don’t know whether you remember or not, but we all grew up with Vemana poems, and from our parents and grandparents. \n\nSo when I had grandkids and I was reading all the books to them, then I thought, oh, you know what, we used to hear all this Vemana wisdom from our parents and grandparents and I wanted to share that with not only my grandkids, to all the kids in the United States, both Indian, Telugu, Indian and mainstream kids, like a tribute to our elders, as well as sharing the Eastern philosophy to the Western world. \n\nSo I got the idea for -- after I retired. This is the book I published, ‘What is Vemana Saying?’ This was selling in Amazon as well. The one that I am quite happy about is it’s well received, because this is story form moral values for the kids to remember. \n\nKV: It has won awards also, right?\n\nSM: It has two awards; Mom’s Choice Award in this country, in the United States, and the National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval. \nAnd then, not only that, then I got the idea of taking this to the school districts. So I was busy with a project called -- I have been busy with the project called Library Project, and me and family and friends donated together, donated, I worked with the school districts on criteria and approval process, even for donation there is a big approval process.\n\nSo there are six school districts in Houston area that each elementary school has this book in their library. In other states, three other states have total 17 school districts and each elementary school library has this book. \n\nAnd then we did book shows in Chinmaya Missions, temples, cultural programs and VHP summer camp, like that on and off. So that’s about the book. \n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=1505.0,1800.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nKV: So you said the school districts, there is a process for accepting, even is it for the donation purposes. \n\nSM: Yes, yes.\n\nKV: What type of assistance you felt they undercurrent in those processes, anything?\n\nSM: They were afraid if there is any one religion. \n\nKV: Religion? Okay, Vemana’s sayings, they don’t have any religion basis, the values is something. \n\nSM: Exactly! I purposely did not put any religion; I put only the universal values that are shared, but you know what, there are two school districts that rejected. \n\nKV: Even then?\n\nSM: Even then. \n\nKV: They are suspicious of something you are trying to --\n\nSM: Don’t know exactly, they just said that it doesn’t meet their criteria or whatnot, but in the beginning I got discouraged a little bit, then I was talking to Mr. Robert Arnett, who was like my mentor on this book, who came up with ‘India Unveiled’ and ‘Finders Keepers’ book, and I met him. And he said, there are so many school districts, if one rejects, just move on to another one, which I did, so I am glad I talked to him. \n\nKV: Do you know, is it the first time Vemana sayings were translated from --\n\nSM: No, in English they were translated, meanings were given, but the story form, this is the first time it came, children storybook. \nKV: Pictorially --\n\nSM: Yes, illustrations and everything. So that’s what I gathered and I heard. \n\nAnother activities you were wondering; yeah, I wanted to give back something to the community, this is one way of giving back and another thing is I am always interested in -- I was passionate about serving the elders, so I wanted to serve to the elders in community, especially the ones that don’t know English, especially our Telugu elders who stay at home, might get bored. In India people come and go, here nobody comes. So I did that for a few years. I used to go and visit them, maybe massage their feet and then read or if they know a lot more knowledge and listen to them, like that, depending on the circumstances. I enjoyed that quite a bit. I did that for a few years, seva. \n\nOh, before that, I thought Thanksgiving dinner for the Telugu students would be good. \n\nKV: From University of Houston.\n\nSM: Yes, we did that from the University of Houston Telugu students, main campus, Clear Lake campus, and all that, we used to have Thanksgiving dinners at our place. We did that for a few years. \n\nAnd then all the organizations in town, we had a good supporters of DAYA and TCA and ICC and Meenakshi Temple; my husband served for Meenakshi Temple for 20 years, and then whatever service projects that he is with or helping his family, my family, I have always been --\n\nKV: Your family is in the forefront of service. \n\nSM: So whatever little I did in my life it’s all God’s blessings and the main reason why my husband’s support and encouragement and family and friends’ help throughout. \n\nKV: Your husband Bhaskara Rao garu is an engineer and entrepreneur, has been highly successful. \n\nSM: Yes. \n\nKV: And also he had a big heart to give donations and philanthropic.\n\nSM: Oh, yes, yeah. \n\nKV: So that way Mutyala family is well recognized in the community. Now, you give back so much to India; you have established some scholarships, can you tell about those?\n\nSM: Sure! My husband and I we both are into giving a lot. We do want to. I know we have not given enough. I know whatever little we have we want to share. We may want to -- need to share much more, but his village and my village, we did some community service projects and his village, the whole family worked on setting up a high school, which didn’t have, that village didn’t have high school. \n\nKV: What village?\n\nSM: Aratlakatta, next to Kakinada and then physiotherapy ward in his city, General Hospital, then several scholarships in the high school.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=1800.0,2103.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nAnd then in our village, Chelluru, we set up a walking track. We both are believers in walking and taking care of ourselves by exercise. So we set up a walking track for the villagers to get benefit and high schoolers in the school, and then set up scholarships there. And then old age home in Kakinada. \nAnd then we believe in developing the -- taking care of the existing temples rather than building new temples. So one Hanuman Temple our grandparents set up, and it was farmland and everything. Well anyway, that deteriorated, so we did renovation to that Hanuman Temple as well. And then like that that we did several projects there. \nAnd then we thought this country has given us so much and the education, we both are so much fond of, we need and we got educated, our livelihood in this country is due to education, so we wanted to give something back to education. Then the question is, which university do you select?\n\nKV: Yeah, that is a big challenge.\n\nSM: My husband went to University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, he did his MBA. And I went to Purdue University, I worked at Indiana University. I got my Executive MBA from the University of Michigan, University of Houston. And my kids went to A\u0026M and UT.\n\nKV: So your loyalties were divided.\n\nSM: Penn State and everything. So my kids suggested, you guys have been living in United States for so many years, maybe you may want to consider University to Houston. So we talked to University to Houston folks, and so we chose University to Houston.\n\nKV: Actually, Foundation for India Studies is very happy to hear that you gave a big donation to the India Studies Program, because that was started by the FIS.\n\nSM: Yes, we chose, we clearly said it’s a Tier One Scholarship, and we wanted them to give preference to -- so there is no Major yet, so right now there is a Minor. So we specifically put it in there, it's an endowment fund, and we put it in there saying that give preference to the people who do the Minor in India Studies.\n\nKV: And you are also on the Advisory Board?\n\nSM: Yes, yes, we both, my husband and myself are on India Studies Advisory Board, which we are a part of it, and we like it very much, whatever little wisdom and advices that we can give, whichever way we can contribute, we want to continue as long as we can.\n\nKV: Tell me something about your music career?\n\nSM: I am fond of music as well. Actually, I love Veena, so when we came to Houston I realized that there is a music Veena teacher, Mrs. Ranga Narayanan, and actually she played for Abdul Kalam in Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, with their invitation. \n\nAnd then -- so I wanted, my daughter was only 8 years old, and I know it’s hard for me to catch it at that elder age, but kids can catch easily, so I thought, okay, let me try so that I can help her to practice, so we both took Veena classes from Mrs. Ranga Narayanan. \n\nBut then with computer work I had elbow problems, tennis elbow, tendonitis in elbow, so I took Veena lessons only 5 years and I stopped, whereas Sireesha continued till end of her high school, and we both performed for TCA and the Thyagaraja Festival, Purandara Dasa Festival, like that, and then a few other times.\n\nSo my Veena, now and then I play, but then I thought, okay, I don’t have any problem with my -- even though I don’t have a good voice, I can maybe try to train the voice, so instead of Veena I switched to vocal. So I am still learning, I am still learning, I am still learning. My teacher is -- I am fortunate to have Mrs. Anuradha Subramanyam; I had both great teachers, who had lot of patience, encouraged me. So I may need few more lives to get it more, but I am getting better. I do enjoy playing in Meenakshi Temple at Navratri time and like that, so I am still learning Veena.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=2103.0,2408.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nI still do paint; I donated few paintings to Meenakshi Temple fundraising, Tanjore kind of paintings. My teacher actually had only 15 minutes of discussion, that’s the only teaching I got from Krishnamurthy, Indu Krishnamurthy. She used to give lot of paintings to Meenakshi Temple; I used to see and admire. And I went and talked to her what media she uses and all that, and then just 15 minutes I took notes and then I continued on my own. \n\nThe way that she said it is, you try anything you want, you figure out yourself what works for you, what doesn’t work. That’s exactly what my grandmother used to teach me also. So it’s all -- most of it is self-taught kind of thing. \n\nI still paint. I did portraits of my two grandchildren; I have two more grandchildren to portrait paint.\n\nKV: That will keep you busy. I am amazed, being a computer engineer by profession, and having these interests, various interests in various forms of art, and you are also an author. Anything you are planning to write another -- you have done Vemana Satakams, and there is another great composition of Sumati Satakam; that is also a great compilation of wisdom. Have you any plans to do that?\n\nSM: I have a lot of plans. I have a big list of things I would like to do after I retire, which I took retirement about 11 years back. I have barely scratched. But priorities, of course, my current priority is taking care of my husband, who is a cancer survivor. We are fortunate to be in Houston. \n\nMaybe I would like to touch about how we benefited by being in Houston. So Houston helped me in shaping me, what I am today. Education; in the University of Houston an Executive MBA, 23 years of work experience in Gulf, Chevron and Chevron, Texaco. Spiritual growth through Meenakshi Temple, Chinmaya Mission, Art of Living, and social and cultural experiences through Telugu Cultural, ICC, ISCA, which is Senior Association for","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=2408.0,2568.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Center, Veena, music, painting, and art show. \n\nI did an art show at Shangri-La Art Gallery that we had, all the Indian artists, they had an art show. In 2008, I did an art show, I enjoyed it thoroughly. \n\nAnd good foundation for my kids, education, their high school is in Houston, and excellent healthcare, and we are fortunate to have MD Anderson take care of our health needs, so last three-and-a-half years, and that’s where -- one of my concentration right now. \n\nAnd at the same time, I would like to tell what my contribution to Houston, maybe, maybe, is contributed as a Chevron employee to oil industry. Oil industry is a big -- one big part of economy in Houston I believe for the past 23 years, and supported and contributed to several social and cultural spiritual organizations, like Daya, and all the other organizations I mentioned. And donated -- contributed -- and donated Vemana books to United Way, YMCA and R.E.A.D. for Houston, and besides the other spiritual organizations and School Districts that I mentioned. \n\nAnd participated in partnering education while I was a Chevron employee; I used to tutor in needy schools, by tutoring and participating in walkathons for good causes. And then Beach Cleanup; we did a few Beach Cleanups in Galveston and Clear Lake. And then we already talked about the scholarship endowment fund to University of Houston.\n\nSo several people expressed another book for elders, they said, this book is not only for children, it’s a good reminder for elders as well, all the values and how we can apply it in the daily life. That’s the good thing about this book is how we can apply in our daily life. So, I do want to -- I actually started, but then it kind of slowed down on that.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=2568.0,2711.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362/transcript/60436/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nBut another project I have is my memories to my grandchildren, grandmother’s memories, I started that as well. That’s the one I am working on right now, which is also going very slow. So those are the two I have that I would like to finish, and my paintings of my other two grandchildren.\n\nKV: Regarding children, I want to ask you, are you concerned that they are basically merging in the main street and they may be losing their culture, which you are -- it is an old culture we all come from, but are there any concerns for you?\n\nSM: I don’t know whether you want -- of course, there may be some concern, but at the same time we have got to look at the reality as well, at the same time we can see it as a progress too. We brought a lot of good things with us, and which we have successfully passed on to our children, and we are still passing to our grandchildren, and they won’t go away, they are with them. \n\nAnd then we definitely -- I definitely think that they are products of both good things from India and good things from United States, so they are products of both good things. And yes, we will be -- some of the cultural things will be passed on to the next generations and next generations; yes, some of them we will lose. Some of the bad ones we will lose, some of the good ones we may lose too, but several good ones will continue and survive, that’s how I feel.\n\nMy son-in-law’s background is from Taiwan, his parents came from Taiwan, so my daughter’s children, those two grandchildren have two, three cultures in them; Indian culture and Taiwan culture and American culture as well. So that’s how I feel.\n\nKV: Very good! Any words of wisdom for the future generations?\n\nSM: Future generations; for me, my thing is, I want to continue working on personal growth and spiritual growth and whatever help I can give to others. And we are here, I feel like this life is all about learning, improving, getting better and realizing Almighty in myself and in everyone and everybody and always, everywhere and always. So we should always remember that and then continue to work on learning. We can learn even from a youngest one. In fact, that's something I learned from Akkineni anna, which I received one award.\n\nKV: Tell us something about that?\n\nSM: He is one of the great, what you call, he came as the Cultural Ambassador in 1967 from India to United States, and recently they recognized his capacity and the greatness and they have a stamp with his name and picture.\n\nKV: The US Mayor --\n\nSM: Yes, recently, right. And my husband and I received an Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Annapurna, first Annapurna Award for me, and then I learned from him, even from a baby, or from the youngest one, we can learn from everyone, everyplace, all the time. So that is something that I want to remind everyone. So that is the one message I would like to pass. \n\nThen, the other one I wanted to show, since I brought it, I enjoyed this very much, while I was working at Chevron, Toastmasters. So I was in Toastmasters and this is one of the first place that I received in 1991. So I wish I continue Toastmasters even now. Don't laugh at me.\n\nKV: You amaze me. I didn't know what this was and now you explained to me. That means your oratory skills have come from some good training from Toastmasters?\n\nSM: Additional training in Toastmasters. So I still enjoy. Like I have several interests, that is one thing, I wish I had time to continue on that. That you can continue even at your old age, just like vocal you can continue. \n\nAnd then another last message that I would like to give is, I love this Gandhi’s, one of Gandhi's message. I would like to close this interview with that message of Mahatma Gandhi's famous quote, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”, which I believe in strongly. We can complain all we want about anything and everything, but if we want a change, it needs to start with us. If we don't start it, don't wait other people to start. I like to remember that part. I like to remind everybody that change must start with you. If any change you like to see in this world, that's the one. \n\nI would like to thank FIS and Oral Indian History Project, and you, Mr. Krishna Shastri Vavilala, for giving me this opportunity to express my own experiences and my own thoughts and feelings.\n\nKV: It's our pleasure and our fortune that we have this interview with you, and we look forward for more conversations like this in the future. Thank you very much Sita garu!\n\nSM: Thank you!","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108917/file/210362#t=2711.0,3095.42567"}]}]}]}