Home: New Jersey. Age: Fifty-something. Birthplace: Gujarat, India. Profession: Pharmacy consultant, real estate investor, philanthropist. Organization: Self-employed pharmacy consultant and real estate investor. Pronouns: He/Him/His. Significant other: My wife, Nimisha Lagdiwala. Alma mater: Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) College of Pharmacy. Languages spoken: English, Gujarati, Hindi.
What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Entrepreneurship and cultural change when relocating to a new country. Hobbies: Watching cricket, grilling, watching Bollywood movies, listening to Bollywood music, going on long walks. Recent travel or adventure: Jaipur (“Pink City”) and Udaipur in Rajasthan, India. Last book read: Bhagavad Gita (Hindu scripture about the Mahabharata). Recently viewed and recommended: Top Gun: Maverick.
Personality profile: Personable, driven, goal-oriented. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Resilient. How do you define a perfect friendship? Supportive, loyalty, being honest even though it may stir conflict. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Mutual respect, growing together, open communication. What is your greatest joy? Enjoying time with and caring for my family. What is your guilty pleasure? Desserts (especially ice cream). What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Physicians, teachers, any healthcare worker.
What three emojis best describe you? 😃😎🙏.
What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? New restaurants, cricket games, and on my family. What is at the top of your bucket list? Travel to Australia. How do you relieve stress? Spending time with my family and friends, specifically watch movies at night with my family. What is your go-to workout? Taking long walks in the evening. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Family.
What was your first paying job? College tutor. What was your favorite childhood toy or game? Soccer. What movie have you repeatedly watched? Die Hard series. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My wife. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Loyalty to your family means showing up, even when its inconvenient. What’s the best advice you received in your career? It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? Google (access to knowledge and information at any given moment). What is your go-to source of news and information? Bloomberg News, CNN, Wall Street Journal. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Conversations and community – engaging in meaningful conversations to create new ideas. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? The COVID-19 pandemic, which affected healthcare significantly and showed me the importance of my job. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Moving to a new country and adapting to a new environment.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Increase access to healthcare to populations facing barriers to treatment. What change would you like to see in the world? Empathy and kindness towards all, and focus on educating and empowering the new generations. What message do you want to send out into the world? Opportunities don’t happen, you make them. What mega-trend most excites you? Electric cars. What mega-trend most concerns you? AI involvement in personal lives.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Relentless: The Grind Behind the Glory. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My mom. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A soccer player. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? Digital device holding memories of my late family and children’s childhood. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Cooking and catching up with my wife and children. What advice would you give your younger self? Embrace the discomfort and always push to pursue your passions. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day my children were born.
Personal mission: To improve access to affordable, high-quality treatments for the underprivileged and underserved communities, while continuously advancing my knowledge through working with stakeholders across the system. Personal motto: Compassion in action, knowledge in practice. Favorite quote: “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today” (Franklin D. Roosevelt).
