{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/jd4pk08b2s/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Chowdary, Mrinal [and] Ruma"]},"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":["Chowdary, Mrinal  ; Chowdary, Ruma (interviewee)","Banga, Raja (interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2015-05-16 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["eng (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Mrinal Chowdary immigrated from Calcutta to New York in 1971. Mrinal worked at a record manufacturer while obtaining his master's degree in chemical engineering. Ruma arrived in the United States a few years later, and worked at Columbia University. The Chowdarys relocated to Tokyo before settling down in Houston. The Chowdarys discuss their world travels and their family in this oral history."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["digital recording, sound"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Chemical engineers (topical term)","Immigrants (topical term)","Houston (Tex.) (geographic term)","Oral histories (topical term)","Columbia University (corporate name)","Tokyo (Japan) (geographic term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["indoamerican"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Moving Image"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Mrinal Chowdary immigrated from Calcutta to New York in 1971. Mrinal worked at a record manufacturer while obtaining his master's degree in chemical engineering. Ruma arrived in the United States a few years later, and worked at Columbia University. The Chowdarys relocated to Tokyo before settling down in Houston. The Chowdarys discuss their world travels and their family in this oral history."]},"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/000/210/360/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-4os1rx_1698433196.jpg?1698418796","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - FIS-OH0037.mp4"]},"duration":2493.95813,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/360/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-4os1rx_1698433196.jpg?1698418796","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-houstonlibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/210/360/original/FIS-OH0037.mp4?1698418793","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":2493.95813,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nBut when I started thinking about it, by that time, Kennedy passed a Bill of having some immigrant -- the economics changed. There was no job, absolutely no engineering job at that time in 1971. So, it was a horrible time. All my friends or all my cousins, the younger people, nobody had a job. They used to work and most of them used to work in small banks, like doing some clerical type of jobs. That’s how they started. And I did not want to do that one, and then I thought, within two weeks I thought actually I am not going to get any design work, because I don’t have the design experience, but I liked to be there.\n\nSo I started looking for record manufacturing company where I can find something. So within two weeks I got an interview, first of all in a place, in a record manufacturing company, and I called them, and he says, okay, come for an interview. And I said how do I go? He says, come over there and then you take your car and all these things. I said, I don’t have any car, because -- then right away he hanged up. He says, okay, if I don’t have a car, that place is such a remote area, in a New Jersey area, so there is no way to go there.\n\nSo I started looking -- at that time I started understanding this country. I found a Yellow Page. So, I looked into the Yellow Page and I found some engineering, record manufacturing company right on the Manhattan area on the Hudson, and they are on this 4th or 5th floor. So I called them and I said, okay, can I have -- so when I met the manager, the production manager, he said, okay, come next week. So I go next week, and I started telling them I have some experience.\n\nRB: So, the interview that you had was over phone and he asked you to come or did you --\n\nMC: Yeah, because he says I -- because I can use this Subway, because it’s in Manhattan -- because then I decided I cannot get a job, but I have to drive, because I have no car. So I found it --\nRB: Did you feel that -- like the difficulties, of course, we all do, our accent and coming from different country, how did you overcome that?\n\nMC: Oh, it’s very difficult. It was really -- it was so difficult, because I didn’t understand what they --\nRB: We all have stories, right.\n\nMC: Same stories. So finally -- it is a very interesting story, because finally, going two, three times to this guy and he says okay, I was telling them my experience about the record manufacturing. Initially, he didn’t believe, and I said, look, I have an engineering degree. And he was really looking at me; he was in the impression that in India there were hardly any engineering college. So he said, are you a -- engineering degree, I said, yeah. So I showed my one and I have the experience. So very reluctantly, he says, okay, come next week.\n\nHe gave me a $100 a week job. It is physically it is almost like a manual job. I had to take these things from here, take in that one. Within a week, I found that company is -- it’s a very interesting story -- that company, the record manufacturing, they are rejecting. There is a small lab type of thing where you test the record, that is called master records, before it goes to the manufacturing.\n\nSo, I was looking at that one and I said there are a lot of rejection that’s coming within a week. Then I looked at it. Back in India, we had the same thing, but knowing the India, we never do the rejections. So my office was next to the testing lab, so that one guy was listening, and then he do the repairing work on this master, it is called the master plate before it goes to the stamping. So I told him, why you are rejecting it? This can all be repaired, many of them can be -- because you know, electroplating.\n\nHe didn’t initially believe that, and then I convinced him, and he said what do you need? I said, I need a microscope and a small pin that I will make. And then I started with the same lab, when they are rejecting it, I started testing it, and believe me I was saving a lot of stamps, and that guy was so -- that manager was so impressed, he called the owner of the company, he came to me within a month, and they were so impressed, because I was salvaging all these ones and saving a lot of money. And then he increased my salary to $160 a week. That’s how I started.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=303.0,594.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nAnd I was there for maybe a year and a half or maybe a year and 8 to 9 months. Finally, he gave me an offer, because they are  opening an office -- a company in Kentucky and he told me why don’t you go and lead that company, but by that time, I was studying part-time on the Chemical Engineering Master Degree. I almost finished it, so I could not move out. I said I cannot go, I have to finish my engineering degree here. I was doing it in the evening time from Cooper Union.\n\nSo, then he said okay, I did not accept that position, but I got better position now in that company in another year and a half. And then I finished my Engineering Master Degree and right after that, the economics changes in USA and I got an offer called Stone \u0026 Webster Engineering Corporation back in New York and I joined there as a Junior Chemical Engineer.\n\nRB: And that was in your field.\nMC: In the 1973, this is my start.\n\nRB: And did Rumaji already arrive by then?\n\nRC: Yes.\n\nMC: Because after I got that one, my first try was to save some money for sending a ticket for her. So within six months she came.\n\nRB: So how was the communication, when you were here, she was there, even when we migrated it was very difficult, we could only afford --\n\nRC: Just letter and mail, because there was no telephone.\n\nRB: There was no phone, right?\nMC: It took two years to give me the first call to my mother, so that was the situation.\n\nRC: Because you had to book for the trunk call, it’s called at that time. Whenever they will get the connection maybe in two days, then they will connect.\n\nMC: And the charges are heavy.\n\nRB: So they will call you?\nRC: They will call us and say okay, now we got connection.\n\nMC: Sometimes it’s one hour, two hours waiting. I mean what a change.\n\nRB: So you have seen all of these changes.\n\nMC: All these things.\n\nRB: Yeah, that’s amazing! So then, let’s continue. So the first real job in your field that was in New York area.\n\nMC: In New York area, Stone \u0026 Webster Engineering Corporation. I started that one, I was really excited to get her and I had a business card at that time. I was so pleased to see my business card. It’s called the Mrinal Chowdary, Junior Engineer. So that’s how I started and believe me not, I survived in that company for more than 42 years.\n\nRB: You’re still with them?\nMC: Not really. I just changed it. So, Stone \u0026 Webster Engineering Corporation, and I worked there for, in New York, it’s about 20 years.\n\nRB: So why did you move down to Houston?\n\nMC: In between, after years, then the business was down, so New York office was closed. They transferred me to Boston. So Boston is our main head office. So, I was in Boston, and by that time, I got promoted to different levels in Boston. And then the Boston office is also -- because the engineering field was moving out from New York, Boston area. These are all financial things, been replaced by the financial things. So, all the engineering offices were mostly moving to Houston area.\n\nSo initially, I was in Boston, and then they moved me to Houston. But at that time, I always had a desire to do something back in India. In 1989, I decided, when they transferred me to Houston, I decided not to come to Houston, but rather come to India to do a try. So, I went back with the family, my daughter, and by the time I had two daughters. My elder daughter was -- I think she is in the 8th grade and my younger daughter has just started.\n\nSo, all of us moved back to Calcutta with a desire to start a company, and I started a company in Calcutta called Advanced Technology.\n\nRB: Very interesting!\nMC: Very interesting! With three of my friends, they are also from USA.\n\nRB: Like they are people of --\n\nMC: Yeah, but I am the only one moved. All three others are there and one of them later joined. So we started a company in Calcutta called Advanced Technology based on some technology. Unfortunately, in 1989/1990s the economics was very bad in India. It was before that Narasimha Rao opened this globalization. So, it was horrible. So I suffered there for a year and a half, couldn’t make a single penny. Maybe I just earned, I do remember, by just some consultancy jobs, I earned only 2,000 Rupees in these two years.\n\nRB: Wow!\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=594.0,900.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nMC: But then I started developing the technology with the idea that I am going to sell it, the manufacturing side, but it did not – finally did not work, there is a long story about it because we are doing some – the instant oxygen generation, small generator for oxygen, we were developing that one with a friend of mine; eventually you know what, there is another story, a bit long story but anyway after year and eight months with a broken heart leaving my family there I just called the company in Houston, either I called, I do not remember or I send an e-mail, sorry, not an e-mail, a letter that I like to come back, is there an opportunity for me. And my supervisor who was back in New York he recognized me and he says okay, come over.\nRB: So let’s pause for a second, so during this time when you were in India, how did you feel like being back to India, back to Calcutta, however, the company was not doing very good, so what Mrinalji thought would be able to do was not happening, so what was your impression and you had two kids by then, they were going to school, right?\nRC: I always – all my importance always was my daughters, not me, that’s why it was not difficult for me to stay there. Luckily, my daughter got admission in La Martiniere, a good school and I was – and the younger one was very young, so I was quite busy with her because I put her in the mainstream, 8th grade but I taught her a little Bengali, she can read and write, but Hindi, Sanskrit, all those, she had to start. So I was so busy with her that I really didn’t think anything, I was just going with the flow.\n\nRB: So other than that did you – how did you enjoy being back to Calcutta just being part of the – \n\nRC: Yeah I enjoyed, I enjoyed, but as I said I never thought of myself that I am enjoying or I am missing this, missing that, because my whole concentration was my older daughter. \nRB: So, where are you from, like are you also from Calcutta?\nRC: No, I am from Jalpaiguri, which is in North Bengal, but I was born in Banaras because it’s my mamabari, my mother is from there, but I went to school in Jalpaiguri, but then I had my BS and Masters from Collin University.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=900.0,1059.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"RB: What was your field?\n\nRC: I had Biology and specialization in Genetics.\n\nRB: Wow! Okay, that’s quite hi-tech. So did you pursue anything over here?\n\nRC: Yes, I was kind of lucky in a sense when I came right after I did my Masters and I was so young, hardly 22, and I – maybe that’s why ignorance was bliss, I didn’t know anything and that time it was not globalization, people didn’t know anything about America, nothing, not like today and the language, I never thought that I will have problem, it was so, I mean, I had so much innocence that I didn’t have any problem. So I landed, and he was busy with his work and study and all, and I didn’t know what to do, what to where to go, but only I knew that I have to go to the universities. So I took the map, Subway map, and I went – \n\nRB: And you just did it all by yourself?\n\nRC: All by myself and I went to by Subway or walking I went to all the New York Universities and just went to their HR and applied for research. I don’t know if it’s possible or not, I had no idea, but luckily within two weeks I got a call from Columbia University Cancer Research Institute, which I mean I never thought that they would ask me to come over. And then I got interviewed and they asked me and they said if you can start with us as a research assistant with the project. And he was trying to convince me that Columbia is so well known and this and that so I mean he was trying to convince me to join, but I was thinking, oh, I am so lucky. He said but you have to work for three – you will get paid for three days, two days you do voluntary, you have to do that.\n\nBut I had no problem, but I was so surprised and I was so happy, so I didn’t have really any problem as an immigrant. The only thing that, that time there were not exposed to Indian culture or education or anything, people didn’t know about Indians.\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=1059.0,1193.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nLike when -- it’s a very funny story, in 1973 when we were going back to India for visit and I our secretary was asking me, so how you are going to go from airport to the house, by elephant? And I said yes, because otherwise maybe the Royal Bengal Tiger will attack us. They were so ignorant about India, and they didn’t know that Indian people are educated and smart. Because we are the first ones who are just trying to maybe impress the American people without education. \n\nBut anyway, then I was lucky with my boss and with the whole group. I kind of grew up there in the lab. My boss was very nice and he said that with your project, you can take it as a PhD degree, but I have to do some course credits. But that time Columbia University, you don’t know, it’s in the Harlem area, and it was the worst area, and right that time I think one very well-known law professor was killed right outside the campus, just for robbery. It was so bad and people cannot take subway after evening, so I had no way of studying. So it’s a tragedy that I did my work, but without the credits I couldn’t get the degree, my PhD degree. \n\nRB: What a regret, huh?\n\nRC: It’s a regret. At the beginning I regretted very much, then he got an assignment, after six years he got an assignment in Tokyo, so we had to move to Tokyo, and I was very, very upset because I had to leave my work. \n\nBut this I have to tell you, because I believe in that, one of my friend told me that time, don’t be upset, you are doing research, okay, quit that research, but take it like to raise your kids, it’s a research project for you, and believe me or not, I took it as a project, but I didn’t get any degree for that, but I really, seriously took a project to raise my children.\n\nRB: What an ideal mom!\n\nRC: No, I mean I don’t know, somebody told me and it got into my head that this can be your research project.\n\nRB: So how was the experience in Japan?\n\nRC: Oh, it was wonderful! It was wonderful.\n\nMC: We were there for three years.\n\nRB: Three years?\n\nMC: Yeah.\n\nRB: And that was with the same company?\n\nMC: With the same company. Same company we were assigned in Japan for three years at different times. I have been to many countries like that from the assignment. And as I said, like from India very hesitantly I came to USA, not thinking about coming back, came to New Jersey, New York area because we have some friends. Then I called them up and said, okay, come to Houston. \n\nAnd I came to Houston. They immediately gave me an appointment and I was put in a project, in Malaysian Project. Malaysian Projects being designed in -- in the design phase, and believe me what happened is that I got so much absorbed into the project, I could not tell my boss that I have to go back, because I didn’t end up coming back to here, so everything was just loose back in India. My wife is there, my daughters are there, we don’t know what to do. I just came very casually to join there, but I got so much involved in the project, there is no way. And I said I have a return ticket, I have to go back.\n\nThe project manager said, hell with it, what is the money, and I said, okay, this is the money. We will pay you. You cannot go now, because I got involved very much into the project, with the client and all these things, so I couldn’t go. \n\nShe has to manage everything, and then we decided that there is no way we are going back. So we had a house there, apartment. We were building a house there in Calcutta and she has to manage everything, and then I decided after six, eight months, I said, okay, I cannot go back, she has to manage everything, winding it up; we had a car also, everything, plus selling the property, so those she has to do, taking care of this. There is no way that I could not go because I was absorbed in the project.\n\nRB: So that was a quite challenging time Rumaji with the kids and doing all that all by yourself?\n\nMC: Yeah, it was.\n\nRM: But my daughter was very helpful. She was only 13, but she was like my partner. So between two of us we did -- I never thought -- anytime I never thought it was difficult. \n\nMC: Managed it, sold the property, end up the apartments, came back to USA, USA, back to Houston. \n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=1193.0,1502.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nInitially I really suffered, almost like a year-and-a-half. I have to tell this story. Year-and-a-half I suffered, because it is a defeat. Looks like I went back, I like to do something back in India, it just didn’t make it, so it was really disheartening and I was really depressed for a year-and-a-half. But then I started doing some meditations and soul searching and those things, and after a few soul searching I came out of the whole thing and I decided to be a citizen of the world. \n\nThat is the day I thought actually I am not -- belong to any country, and I strongly believe on that thing. I belong in here. I really -- I took my USA citizenship after that one, and I thought actually, what does it matter where do you live? It is the mind that is. So I have tremendous connections back to India, my heart is still there, but I am physically living here and then I thought actually it doesn’t matter where you live.\n\nRB: So Bengali and the Nobel Laureate from Bengal, Tagore, there is always a very strong connection. Are you somehow related to the philosophy, the works that Tagore --\n\nMC: Yeah, when you start talking to the Bengali, we always start and end with Tagore, what do you think? He is a universal man. I think I started -- we know the Tagore very much, but the whole philosophy of the universalism, that you belong to the world, it is the Vishwa Kavi. Tagore we call the Vishwa Kavi, poet of the world.\n\nRB: It is a global mind.\n\nMC: It is a global mind. So that helped me to come out of the whole depression that I had. I belong to India, I could not do it, and I tried to do it, I tried to help my country, and it didn’t work. So it came out and I become -- and from his philosophy I become a universal man, a global citizen. \n\nAnd believe me or not, back when I was in New York I was the Secretary of the Tagore Society of New York. Back when I came to Houston, there is a Tagore Society of Houston and I belong to this Tagore Society from the day one from there and I strongly believe on that. \n\nI believe there are three -- in my life I really admire three people in the world as a universal man. One is Tagore, who is the Vishwa Kavi; another one is Gandhi, he make a movement, Gandhiji, he made a movement, Non-Cooperation Movementm and he is the most successful in this 20th Century in achieving some things. Number one is the decolonization started from India. He is the pioneer. Second is the apartheid movement; that is also his contribution. And the third one is in this country, Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King’s. All these three movements is the most successful movement in the world in this century. Nothing else has been so much success, and all these three movements is based on his theory of Non-Cooperation. So Gandhiji is my second person.\n\nThird person is Vivekananda. As a life, how to lead a life, if you go through his 12 Volumes of ‘Vivekanander Bani O Rachana’, you will understand what is life means. And as a scientist, obviously the Einstein. So I really, I consider these four people has changed the world to an extent, but obviously Gandhiji has been already recognized as a pioneer in the world. \n\nTagore is yet to come. Tagore, we call Tagore as a poet of the world, but the world does not know that, so we are making a movement. You are also part of this Tagore Society, and we started that movement. Tagore has to be established as the poet of the world, universalism. Nobody has done in this world to the one. \n\nAnd Einstein has already been there, and ‘Vivekanander’s Bani’, one of this day it will come. So that was the things that I believe those. There are many, many great people in the world, but I -- that’s all. I get excited when I talk.\n\nRB: So tell us about some turning points in your life, like you have mentioned probably a few of those that something that really like changed you? I mean, like when you converted yourself into being a global citizen, was there a particular incident that happened or it was like gradual change?\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=1502.0,1799.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nMC: No, gradual. After coming back from India, as I said I was depressed, because I started going back to India, it's my mother country, and I failed because of the -- because of the problems here. I was cornered. Every time I looked, nobody pays any attention. I mean, it was a humiliation to be back to my country. And to come back and you are here, and then I started thinking about all these things, and the realizations came, and then I started really speaking Tagore or Gandhiji and all these things after I come back, came from my frustration and the depression.\n\nRB: Then it came out.\n\nMC: Then it came out, it changed these things. \n\nRB: Uplifted. \n\nMC: Uplifted, that one. And since then, you know me, I am 75 years old, I enjoy every moment of my life.\n\nRB: That is amazing! And also, you are a writer.\n\nMC: Yeah.\n\nRB: So when did you start that, like start writing about your own experience?\n\nMC: Yeah, I have been to many countries, as I told you, many countries; Japan, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, many places, so what I did actually, every country, I did not go as a traveler, I like to see what is the country, what is the social, economical situation of the country, what are the people, what are the human, because human is the one who touch it, not that the scenarios.\n\nScenarios you can see into the picture; in Himalayas or Taj Mahal you can see, but the human touch, the social system, the social system and the human people, those are the touching people. And so every country I went there I started studying those one, and my books, these two books are based on my realizations of this human, a human --\n\nRB: Relationship.\n\nMC: Relationship, and the social conditions and all these things. And I started thinking about it. Every time I say, okay, people are all -- I am very positive thinking, so I do not see anything negative. I say, let me see.\n\nRB: That we know very well.\n\nMC: Yeah. I always say, let's see the positive side. And one of my story is on Bangladesh. I was in Dhaka, doing some -- Dhaka for one week. And as you know, India, Dhaka, they are all share -- similar culture. You always go there and there is always some problem.\n\nSo if you like to write, there are 90% are all -- this is no good, but in one week, my study, my book, in seven days in Dhaka, what I have seen good things in Dhaka, and you will be surprised how many good things I have seen. So it is the mindset that you have to see the good things. There are many, many good things in the world, so I focused on those. So my writings is on that. \n\nI was in Japan, this is amazing country. It's a human -- humanity is the main culture there. I was in Malaysia, it is a Third World Muslim country, but it has changed the country in such a way, social economical situation has changed. And when I started, when I was landed up in Malaysia, it was a really, really third grade country. Think about it. \n\nAnd I read about those life of Dr. Mahathir, who is the Prime Minister, fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, and I thought about him, and I was studying his book; one of his very famous book is 'The Malay Dilemma', for which he was banished from the party, Barisan Nasional. Later on he -- that his book is giving the what is Third World country, the Muslim culture, with that ethnic problem, how to develop that country. He gave a theory on that one. And based on that the Malaysia has changed a lot, and I was observing that. \n\nBelieve me or not, I wrote a letter to him when I was in the hotel, just studying his political social theories and these, I wrote, just arbitrarily I wrote a letter to Dr. Mahathir, and in my letter I told him, I was studying -- I had gone through the many Third World countries and I think the Malaysia, I can see one of the Third World countries who will grow very shortly, in a very advanced stage, and because of this, because of your approach and your thinking. I really appreciate, because you are giving guidance for the Third World country. \n\nBelieve me or not, within one week there is a phone call to my wife, who was in the hotel, that is the Secretary of the Prime Minister called me and says, okay, Prime Minister saw your letter and he likes to see you. \n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=1799.0,2105.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nShe was really surprised. She called me in the office; I was at the PETRONAS job, PETRONAS job; PETRONAS is one of the, you know the oil company? And I was surprised to get an invitation from them. I call back and he says, okay, come over, because in my letter I wrote, if I get a chance I need to meet you. \n\nAnyway, he honored me, and he called me to come over. So eventually I was telling my manager, project manager I have to take such and such time off because I have to -- where do you want to go? I have to meet the Prime Minister.\n\nHe was really surprised, you know, what do you mean? He went to the manager of the -- the head of the PETRONAS, of our office and he told me that one of my employee, this junior employee, he is going to meet the Prime Minister. \n\nHe called me and he says why do -- and you know what he told me, don’t talk anything about PETRONAS. He was -- I say, no, that is not the idea, because -- then I explained to him. And I was there with the Prime Minister for 40 minutes, just by myself. I had to go through several security guards. I still remember the day that I met him; it was a very big hall, he was sitting at the corner. I took two of his books; one autobiography by a British journalist and his own book, and I told him, this is the thing that I thought. You are giving a path for a Third World country to go for -- to development, and I would like to hear from you, and some of them I do not agree with your theory. \n\nAnd I asked him only few things. I told him that these 40 minutes, I like to listen to you rather than asking. I asked him, why do have a discriminating policy? He has two policy, major policy, it’s called the Look East Policy. He was -- at that time he did three things; one he banned communism; you cannot do communism in Malaysia. Number two, he used the Look East Policy, which he has to look for Japan as an ideal country. And third one is the -- you have to short it, right, third one is the discriminating policy. But anyway, he explained and I was very surprised. \n\nRB: So coming back to this country, you have seen quite a bit of the history of how America as a country has emerged from where it was back in 70s versus in the turn of the century, so tell us positive stories and maybe not so positive stories in terms of, did you feel any discrimination at any point of time starting your career, or was it all very good, all positive?\n\nMC: No, initially, as I told, I was telling my story, because it is not their fault, because they didn’t know India, so we didn’t know, but eventually I -- nowadays I don’t feel anything discrimination.\n\nRB: So for your kids, they are basically -- they have been also a global citizen, because they have been to many countries. Now, did they do their schooling, like a good part of it over here, like higher education?\n\nRC: Yes, the younger one, she had all her education here in Houston, but the older one from high school -- elementary she had it in New York and the middle school -- no, before that she was in school in Malaysia and Japan, then New York, then middle school in Kolkata, then from high school onwards she was here.\n\nRB: So how did they feel like being part of the parent of Indian origin being in this country, did they ever talk about like discrimination at all, or they were just completely adjusted --\n\nRC: No, I talked to them, they never felt that way. They never felt that way.\n\nRB: Where are they now?\n\nRC: My older one, she is in Dubai, and the younger one is in New York.\n\nRB: They have their own families?\n\nRC: Yeah, the older one has her own family, and both of them are doing very well, very professional, and so my research project is done. \n\nRB: And it’s a very successful --\n\nRC: I hope so, yeah. \n\nMC: Yeah, but the elder one, she did chemical engineering and then she did the MBA.\n\nRC: But she didn’t like engineering so she went for MBA.\n\nMC: She went from MBA, from Austin, and my younger daughter, she graduated, MBA degree from North Houston University, so both are very well established.\n\nRB: So in your research project, you also taught them the Indian culture quite a bit, so they danced. Tell us about that, how was that experience?\n\nRC: Yeah. Because I was not like typical pushy Indian mother, I mean for studying. I wanted them to be a wholesome human being, and that’s how I kind of trained them to be. \n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=2105.0,2400.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360/transcript/60434/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nAnd they were very good. I mean, they love Indian culture, because from the very young age they were doing dancing, and he knows that. And Ratna trained them very well, as all the Indian customs and all this, so they are very respectful to Indian culture, and Indian history. And they have, even now, they have to go to Kolkata at least once a year, because they are very close with the families, with the cousins, and they speak the language, so that’s another extra advantage, and they love India. \n\nAnd my younger one, when she was in high school, she had a dream to be Prime Minister of India someday so that was --\n\nRB: Okay. That dream is still there?\n\nRC: No, but she loves India.\n\nRB: Nothing is impossible.\n\nRC: Yeah, she loves India, she loves Indian history, so I am happy that they are a wholesome Indian-American.\n\nRB: Wonderful! So we have just heard about this wonderful couple, Mr. Mrinal and Ruma Chowdary and their journey from, starting from Kolkata, a part of India, and then all the way to New York, Houston, and also their global wanderlust. They have gone to many countries and they have raised kids, they are global citizens as well, so I think it’s a wonderful story. \n\nThank you very much for sharing with us!\n\nRC: Thank you!\n\nMC: Thanks!","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108915/file/210360#t=2400.0,2493.95813"}]}]}]}