The East Indian population in the Greater Seattle area has increased dramatically in the last 10 years, with Bellevue's population more than doubling in the last five yeras. Many East Indian immigrants provide highly skilled labor for the region's numerous high-tech companies or become enterprising business owners who create new opportunities.
But the economic successes can sometimes overshadow the needs of this growing East Indian community. Hard-working and dedicated people like Pran and Santosh Wahi do their utmost to create awareness about and help meet those needs.
Pran and Santosh came to the Pacific Northwest in 1973, when there were relatively few East Indian families in the area. The couple settled on Mercer Island, where they still reside. Santosh became involved with the fledgling Indian community, teaching children Hindi and Indian history for 20 years. She also shared her culture in local public schools, volunteered at the Seattle Asian Art Museum and coordinated events that promoted Indian culture.
Pran's volunteer efforts were only slightly hampered by his demanding job at Boeing. But ever since his retirement in 2002, "Santosh thinks I work even more now than I did then," said Pran about his volunteer work with the India Association of Western Washington (IAWW).
"If you are in a position to help others, you should do that," the Wahis believe.
In 1997, the IAWW launched a senior program that has become very successful largely due to the couple. The program hosts a monthly lunch at the Redmond Senior Center that provides a forum for seniors of all backgrounds. The guests are treated to a vegetarian Indian meal and Indian cultural presentations and have time to socialize with each other. "Some travel from as far as Olympia," said Pran, 68, who serves as a board member for the program.
One of the biggest developments to come out of the IAWW Seniors Program is the annual Senior Health Fair, which provides free screenings, individual consultations and lectures by physicians who volunteer their time. The Wahis also work to address some of the major issues, like lonliness, language barriers and the lack of transportation, that face the growing population of elderly East Indians.
The Wahis' volunteerism even extends halfway around the world with their involvement in the organization People for Progress in India (PPI). Santosh felt pleased during a visit to the campus of Maharogi Sewa Samiti, a self-contained seven-square-kilometer village in Warora, India, dedicated to the rehabilitation of people inflicted with leprosy.
"They recycle everything," said Santosh as she brought out a desk calendar made of recycled X-rays. The self-reliance and creativity fits precisely within PPI's "goal of promoting and nurturing self-help rather than giving direct charity," she said. "The people can walk with their chins up."
Vasu Sundarraj, who first met the Wahis 20 years ago while volunteering for PPI, has the highest respect for them. "They are both self-less people who are totally committed to helping others. I've never met a couple so dedicated," said Sundarraj.
Pran and Santosh's commitments have benefited countless lives, and their values have been passed on to their two daughters, both of whom work in the nonprofit sector. But Pran worries that their efforts alone are not enough. He constantly seeks out other volunteers and donors who can build on the successes the Wahis have helped create. ¬
For more information about the India Association of Western Washington, visit www.iaww.org. For more information about the People for Progress in India, visit www.ppi-usa.org.