{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/m03xs5kv1z/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Kolla, Venkata Ratnam"]},"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":["Kolla, Venkata Ratnam (interviewee)","Mutyala, Sita (interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2013-05-28 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["eng (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["Dr. Venkata Rathnam Kolla interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["digital recording, sound"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Houston (Tex.) (geographic term)","Oral histories (topical term)","Immigrants (topical term)","Doctors (topical term)","Emigration and immigration (topical term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["indoamerican"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Moving Image"]}}],"summary":{"en":["Dr. Venkata Rathnam Kolla interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]},"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/000/210/341/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-a05zio_1698432555.jpg?1698418156","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - FIS-OH0018.mp4"]},"duration":2546.4,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/341/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-a05zio_1698432555.jpg?1698418156","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-houstonlibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/210/341/original/FIS-OH0018.mp4?1698418152","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":2546.4,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nAnd of course on the plane I had a friend that gave me some directions, because I was almost forced out of Bombay to go to the United States, and because of that I did not inform any of the people in New York beforehand, only at the very last minute. So I had a little message in the airport, you should go to so and so hotel. I went there, and that was Sunday, and the next morning I went to their office. I didn’t have any money, only $8, that is all what I came with. \nAnd of course the -- and then the next day I proceeded to the Columbia Labs. Columbia of course is in the New York City, but the lab is about 18 miles towards Hudson River, but it has got","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=290.0,342.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I went there next morning, and the person was waiting. He was supposed to go to Moscow and he was waiting for my meeting me. So I then went there, and that is how I came to the United States.\nSM: How old were you when you came to the United States?\n\nVRK: I was 31 years.\n\nSM: Very interesting! I am sure there were lots of places you lived in; I don’t know how many places you lived, where are all the places you lived in, in the United States before coming to Houston? And when did you come to Houston, I am sure you had a lot of choices, why did you choose to come to Houston?\nVRK: Okay. I was for nine months in New York, in the suburbs, and of course for the last three months of the nine months I was in New York City, because I thought I was going back to the country, so like that I would be able to see the New York City, so that is why I went back. \nAnd then from -- after nine months -- so after nine months I found that I was not going to get a job, so I went to University of Washington, in Seattle, Northeast. And so there I was two-and-a-half years, working in the Pacific Ocean. And then in ’70, August I went back to Columbia University to begin studying the Indian Ocean, Marine Geology, so that I thought I would work there for one or two years and then go back to India and continue that work, because they had the data from all over the world, so that was a good place. \nAnd in ’82, after about, again, ten years or so, I came back to Houston, ‘82 February. And my family joined in ’68 in Seattle, with my two children.\n\nSM: I see, okay. So you came through work then to Houston?\nVRK: Yeah. And why did I come to Houston? It was an oil company,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=342.0,474.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":", it is here that there are plenty of jobs.\nSM: Job opportunities.\n\nVRK: Job opportunities. And if you want to be elsewhere, it’s only university job, not company job.\nSM: Okay. So what was your first impression when you arrived to Houston, please tell us about your memories as an early migrant to Houston; this was around ’82?\nVRK: Yeah, ’82. You see, by that time -- I came actually in ’67 to the United States, by that time I got used to the United States a little bit. I never felt I was a stranger. A good thing about the asset for Indians is English. English is a good thing. And the food, etcetera is a little problem, but I got used to it. \n\nWhen I came here I thought, after ten years in New York City, New York Area, I thought I am ready to take a warm climate, but before that, in ’82 I came two or three times to Houston for a meeting or interview, things like that, but I thought, wow, it’s a good blend, like Visakhapatnam, I thought. \n\nSo my first impression was that I was at home, I was at home, but then there were things like -- a lot of -- the place that I came in ’82, much of the Western part of the city was not developed, so in fact, between the office that -- the company that I was working and my house, there was no housing. So I felt I was at home in Houston. \n\nSM: Okay. That’s very good! You did touch about the education and the professional background before you came to Houston, but I know that you were in France for a few years. How was that experience?\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=474.0,598.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nVRK: Well, France, I came here right in ’82, and in ’85, I was working for here first an American company, then a French company here and the French company thought that I would be more useful if I go to the parent company in France. And I was there from ’81 until ’88, and then the later two years I was in Africa working for the same company. \nSo France I was -- my experience was -- well, the United States was very open, there is no question, and the French guys are not that open, but the place is beautiful and it is quiet; you don’t have to worry about crime and things like that. We were in the southern part of France for six years. \nAnd from there I was going to UK for one month, two months, and Netherlands and Africa, because the company was sending me","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=598.0,662.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":", the company up here, so I was going there. And my thing is doing a little research and translating all the latest concepts, exploration. \nThe important thing here is, they wouldn’t care about publication; they would only care whether you disclose something to them. So you are helpful or not. So the important thing is, you should be able to put all your concepts and your assets, intellectual assets for exploration; that was the purpose, so they send you to different affiliates.\nSM: Okay. So you came back to Houston from France and all these other countries? \nVRK: Yeah. See, after ’82, I went there for eight years, going and coming back, and then again I came back here in 2000.\nSM: In 2000, okay. I know we touched some of your professional background, can you describe and complete your professional background and your experience and all the total experience?\n\nVRK: From India you mean?\nSM: Your professional -- no, I guess -- yeah, you can do -- you can complete, give us a complete picture of your professional background.\nVRK: I had my background in marine geology, it was research and publications and things like that. And Columbia University, University of Washington, completely research, and I would say that an outside Indian living outside I contributed much more to the marine geology in Indian Ocean. \nRemember, there are Indians who have done a lot of work at the National Institute of Oceanography, but an outside Indian I did contribute much more to my marine geology. \nAnd then also when I was here, I was also working in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic, but mainly Indian Ocean, and then once I came to the United States, to Houston, then I had to be doing my research so that I can sharpen my experience and use that experience to exploration, to discover something for the company. So here that was my main purpose. \nI always go to -- I always do research, because that is the thing that sharpens intellect, and always I go and apply that knowledge. So that is how I was able to use my knowledge to exploration.\nSM: Exploration, very good! So what do you like the most in your Houston life? What do you think you are missing here compared to your life in India? What does the City of Houston mean to you and how it influenced you? How do you asses the life and opportunities in Houston? \n\nVRK: Okay. For a geologist this is probably the best place, better than any other place, because it is here, there is a little bit of respect for geology; Indians have a lot of respect all over the place, but the geologist in Columbia University, you go and do research and everything, but kind of close atmosphere, but here you can go -- we have about two or three scientific meetings every month, and then you go there and talk to people, exchange ideas, and of course that is how you learn. \n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=662.0,912.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nAnd so Houston is the best place for geology. Dallas used to be also good, but now, for example, everything moved to Houston, almost, so Houston is good. But then also, climate-wise, this is also better. Of course now it’s getting a little bit more difficult because of humidity, I don’t know, old age, otherwise Houston is a good place. \nSM: Very good! And please describe your social life a little for us. Over the years what is your involvement in forming or sustaining of any social, cultural, religious and political organizations?\nVRK: New York, in those days, there were a lot of Indians and Telugu people that were scattered over the New York and New Jersey area. We didn’t have much contact except with more Americans. And Americans of course were very helpful, and I did not feel any discrimination anywhere. There are always subtle discrimination, but I did not feel anywhere there in New York career, and our friends and scientific colleagues and all, they were always helpful. \nAfter I came here, there is one thing; we have a lot more Indians; we have many more -- many Telugu people culturally, so we have to -- we could go to a lot of cultural meetings. But as far as I am concerned, I did not spend too much time in organizing any cultural activities. My thing is do research, read literature, do research, and do your job. So that kind of thing, I must say you people do a much better job, and you I think do sacrifice quite a bit.\nSM: Are you still actively working or you consider yourself retired, or what are your activities during your current primary job, if you are retired, in the retirement?\n\nVRK: Yeah, since 2000 I retired, but I have been a consultant. Until about two, three years ago I was going very frequently -- I mean two or three times a year, spending six months in India, in Mumbai, Bombay, working for Reliance Company. And we were kind of -- our team was instrumental -- see in our discoveries is the teamwork, because it involves multidisciplinary work and one another, and the big discovery in the KG basin, our team was instrumental.\n\nSM: Okay.\n\nVRK: So I have been going to India as a consultant until about three years ago, so since that time I had a little bit of health problems, so I then stopped. But I do work at home and research a little bit.\n\nSM: You are still involved in research. \n\nVRK: Yeah. \n\nSM: Very good! Can you tell us about your maybe contribution or involvement in any mainstream political or social or economic involvement in Houston?\nVRK: Not practically. I always follow, because since from my Indian days, since high school days, I always would read newspaper, and I had my ideological bent, and to satisfy my curiosity I read newspapers, I follow, I argue, but I do not actually do any practical. I was not a participant; I was more an observer. \nSM: Okay. So what do you think, to what extent you think you have integrated into mainstream American society and culture?\n\nVRK: Well, I think you can never forget your background. I am still at heart Indian, but I don’t think I have any problem. I do not feel -- probably there may have been certain discrimination, but I did not feel any discrimination, not definitely anymore than what I would have felt in India, so I am at home, this is my place. \n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=912.0,1199.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nSo until ’77, from ’67 and ’77, I was thinking of still going to India, but then ’77, I went to India for two months, working on a research ship on the Arabian Sea, near India, research project from Columbia University, and at that time I went simply because Dr. VB Shastri, he thought that I should join ONGC, and I went there. But then I felt that some of the guys are very rude; not VB Shastri, but other people, I thought this is not the place for me to go. So after that time I gave up going to India and I am here, so I will be here.\n\nSM: All right! I know you mentioned your experience, but I want to ask you anyway, let us go into a touchy subject. In all these years, I think I know the answer, but I want to ask you anyway, whether it was in profession or as a resident of Houston, have you ever felt you were discriminated; you do not have to go into any details, but I feel it is an important fact to note in this project that is why I am specifically asking you; I know you mentioned it a couple of times?\nVRK: Well, the only time I little felt -- there is always subtle discrimination; you can always attribute that to discrimination, but the only time I felt in ’67, I went to Harvard University to see the famous university, because I went to another oceanographic institute near -- in Boston, near Harvard; it was called Woods Hole, and from there I went to Harvard. And then I asked -- I don’t know what I asked somebody, and I asked somebody, some White man, and he said -- without anything he said, go and ask that colored man. Oh, colored man, really?\nSo that is the only thing I felt in ’67. But otherwise, I did not feel anything anywhere. Well, there is always something you might feel, but every human being is different. I mean, in terms of my jobs and positions, there may be something, but you have plenty of that in India too, so I don’t think there is anything like discrimination.\nSM: All right! You have been living in Houston for a long time, have you ever thought that you do not fit here and you want to go back to India, have you ever thought of that?\n\nVRK: No.\n\nSM: That’s a straight good answer. How do you identify yourself; Indian, American, Houstonian; you said earlier you are an Indian at heart I think is the word that you used, but how much of, if you have any feeling that the loss of Indian culture, cultural identity? \n\nVRK: When I say I am Indian at heart that does not mean that I will support India versus United States at any cost, but my approach to problems will be somewhat different probably. I am here a U.S. citizen and I will be faithful as a U.S. citizen, but can that be against India, it may not be. So in that way -- I mean, sentimentally if somebody is very critical in my opinion about India, I feel very bad and I argue, I differ, but that is all, not because I suppose there is some political problem with India versus United States, then as a U.S. citizen, I will follow what I am supposed to do. \nSM: All right! How do you describe the Indian community in Houston? In Indian community, what kind of a role is played by language, religion, and ethnic background, in your opinion?\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1199.0,1485.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nVRK: Well, I think there is quite a bit of the background it looks like I carried from India to here, and everybody thinks probably the same way. And even single language identity group can have, depending from where they come, there seems to be a lot of difference. And there is -- in fact, probably there are more differences among the Indians than","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1485.0,1517.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I think. So there are quite a bit differences, and I think you have to take it as a fact and then you go and accommodate yourself to whomever you come across, so I think there are quite a bit differences among the Indians.\n\nSM: Okay. When did you become a United States citizen, was that a quick decision or very well-thought of for a long time decision; by the way, how often do you go to India?\n\nVRK: Well, I think I took my citizenship in ’81 or ’80 I think. That is because I was working in New York on research, on a naval project, and I felt that you need to take citizenship. Unless you are a citizen, you may not be able to do some kind of sensitive projects, so that was the reason.\nSM: All right! Mahatma Gandhi said, be the change that you want to see in the world, can you tell us about some of your challenging times? Have you ever attempted or thought of influencing some of the public policies in Houston or Texas or United States, tell us about that a little bit please?\nVRK: No, public policies, I did not do anything except talking to people at my level. I only do a kind of research, reading, and transferring the knowledge to exploration. I always have been busy. \nI did organize scientific meetings, and especially in my specialty, even in geology, the deepwater exploration, oil companies, they do a lot of deepwater exploration, and that is a place where I specialize, and we are in a special group, the Deepwater Group. And every year in what is called AAPG meetings, that is Association of Petroleum Geologists of America, and there we discuss, we fight, we argue, and develop our knowledge. So that is how I have been busy. I was a pure researcher","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1517.0,1674.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"and I do not claim that I did anything public.\n\nSM: Okay. Now, can you please tell us about your family? You told me you were married when you came to the United States. Tell us about your children, and I would like to capture your -- at this time I would also like to capture your opinion in interethnic, interracial, and interreligious marriages as well.  \nVRK: My family, my wife and two children joined me in ’68; I think they came ’68 May 16, and my daughter was four years old and my boy was two-and-a-half years. So then they -- we were there for two-and-a-half years in Seattle and then we proceeded to New York. What else I did?\nSM: I guess -- oh, the other one is, yes, I would like to capture your opinion on interethnic, interracial, and interreligious marriages.\n\nVRK: Yeah, okay. I think there is a revolution here, there is a revolution, because I was -- my first conviction from areas were -- I came from India, and I am now 76, you can see the age, so I was a product of India and therefor had my bias and convictions at that time, but I evolved quickly. I was not very mindful of caste and things like that, but now I feel that, my grandchildren, for example, they marry, we don’t care. My wife tends to convince them to do something, but I would not feel anything bad if -- when -- anything can happen. If you marry, it may be successful, it may not be, and that can happen with anybody. So I am flexible. \n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1674.0,1812.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nSM: All right! So how many grandchildren you have? Where are your children and grandchildren now? How do feel regarding their lives in United States and future of Indian culture and religious values in United States?\nVRK: My daughter has two boys; my son has two children, one boy, one girl. My son works as a surgeon near Chicago; my daughter works in school administration here in Austin. And one of my daughter’s boys graduated, he is doing job, and the other one is mechanical engineer. And my son’s children are still in high school. \nSM: Yes, what do you think about -- how do you feel about their lives in United States and future of Indian cultural and religious values in America?\nVRK: Well, they have been doing well, so I don’t think I would have to worry about them, and the culture is -- I think there is lot of influx of Indians coming still, and there will be a culture, and they will being still the Indian customs, Indian traditions and culture. I don’t think I worry about that much, although they will be changing, just as I changed, and my feelings of course of the Indian culture and things like that, they also evolve, and still I think I conform to the Indian culture. And so I think it is good I think, but things change.\n\nSM: Yeah. One important thing in retirement age is healthcare. How is Houston in the area of healthcare systems in your experience and current thoughts?\n\nVRK: In the healthcare system, of course this is -- there is University of Texas Medical Center, which is probably the largest medical complex and there are lots of doctors. \nThe other thing is here there seems to be the Harris County, of which Houston is a part, seems to be high in pollution, is what I hear, so the humidity of course is the problem that you can adapt with the nature. And so health system wise it’s very good, and there are a variety of health professionals here, even a lot of natural type of things and medical things and things like that, it is very good. The problem is overabundance, overabundance of medical","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1812.0,1999.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"things, that is all.\nSM: All right! And I know that you have accomplished a lot and I am sure you received quite a few awards. Which ones are the most significant and fulfilling awards and accomplishments in your point of view? I don’t know whether you had a chance to find any and bring them or not. So please explain.\n\nVRK: My awards are mostly company things. The one thing is, the work we did at West Africa, that led to kind of very big discovery. Itt’s not a one person job, it is a teamwork, of which I was instrumental, and they gave some bonus and letter and stuff; I could not find it, but that was also kind of inspiration. \nBy the way, I did publish a paper on that study of West Africa, and because of that they invited me to KG Basin, Reliance people, and in a way the work we did in West Africa was inspiration to KG Basin discovery. \nAnd similarly, we have also done some good work in North Sea, in Europe, in terms of getting oil to the company that I was working. And these are things that they would not -- they would give a bonus, but not kind of award as such.\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=1999.0,2101.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nSM: All right! Would you like to tell us or talk about some of Houstonians and non-Houstonians with Indians or non-Indians who played a significant role in your life, both professional and personal as well too, if you would like to?\nVRK: I think the Americans are very fixable. It is the people at Columbia University who helped me a lot. I remember the first time in ’67, I was invited for Thanksgiving and my host said to their boys that an Indian is coming, and they had probably heard from other people too, Indians, that they would be coming on horse, and they were excited, the children were excited. But I never went on horse; I was not that Indian, we had to explain. So those things were very helpful. \nAnd as far as Indians are concerned in Houston, they are helpful, to the extent I need help, so we had much more contacts and activities among Indians here in Houston than we had in New York, and that was a good thing here.\nSM: Okay. Houston is a cosmopolitan city, in all these years what kind of interaction you had with non-Indian communities, colleagues, neighbors, etcetera?\n\nVRK: One of the problems here compared to New York, New York we had neighbors who had been there for a while and you feel at home, but here the neighbors keep changing quite a bit. I think it’s because they come and go. So we had some contacts to neighbors, but we didn’t have much, except the Indian friends. And your friends, they are Americans, not necessarily our neighbors, but others. So we do not feel anything foreign here and we are at home.\nSM: All right! Okay. And I know that the things changed a lot in India, we all know, and in Houston as well. Like you said, there are quite a few -- Indians are coming to Houston. So today after living in Houston for so many years, what advice would you give to someone who is coming from India to Houston?\n\nVRK: Well, if somebody asked my advice, what to do, you do your job, you work. And I think one thing I can very clearly see that people who come to work, they must always look to the future. And I think the most important thing is they should be very dynamic, and they should not be just satisfied at what they are working. They have to expand and develop new frontiers of knowledge, if it is an intellectual thing. That is the only way they can ensure good future, and also good contribution to science or geology; geology is the same thing; with computer same thing, so they have to change all the time. That I think is very important. \nNot like in the olden days you go to the job and settle there and you do the work and things like that, but I think this is a very important thing that they have to do compared to our time.\n\nSM: All right! Now, I would like to give you an opportunity to express or give us any other information that we have not captured so far about your life and your experience as a whole. Anything would you like to share with us?\nVRK: In the United States, right?\nSM: Or in India, whatever you would like to capture, in case we have not touched any particular thing that you would like to share with us.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=2101.0,2394.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341/transcript/60415/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\n\nVRK: I do not know. Well, I must say that when I look at my background in India, it was some experience. I mean, it was something that I treasure, but at the same time, it gave me a lot of experience. I mean, when I went to school, by my high school time my father died, he was a small farmer anyhow, he was illiterate. And I cannot blame anybody else for what I did, because I did myself everything. And so I was independent at that time that way, because nobody influenced me except myself. So that is how I came to the United States. \nUnited States coming was almost by -- somebody forced me to come, and since I came in ’67, I only went to India after ten years, ’77, to do research. So then after that I was going every three or four years; for the consulting work I was going all the time, most of the time. So in that way -- by the way, in India I enjoyed a lot working for oil company because I was also teaching the young people. Because they didn’t have a good petroleum geology background in India, and that was very important, so I was very happy. \nAnd here also I always worked with oil companies; even now I do research with oil company people, so except for that, I don’t think I have anything to add much, unless you ask a specific question.\nSM: All right! Yes, I, Sita Mutyala, want to thank, thank you Dr. Kolla and Foundation for India and Houston Public Library and Houston Community College for this very valuable opportunity! Thank you so much Dr. Kolla!\nVRK: Thank you!","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108896/file/210341#t=2394.0,2546.4"}]}]}]}