“Namaskara!” Ranjith Madhana Gopal said hello to Rotarians in Kannada, his native language. He told club members about his home in Bangalore, India.
Bangalore, a city of 8 ½ million people, is the capital of India’s southern Karnataka state. It is considered the Silicon Valley of India, according to Ranjith, the location for many international technology firms. The city is also known for its parks and lakes. Ecological diversity and virgin forest can be found nearby. Multiple languages are spoken in the city. Ranjith commented that the city’s metros are notoriously and purposely slow, constructed to accommodate uneven terrain and sharp turns in established neighborhoods. Religious processions in the streets are colorful and common, stimulating a strong sense of community and history. Hindu temples are found throughout the city as they have served as economic centers as well as places of worship.
Ranjith first visited the United States in 2012 to participate in an Unmanned Air Vehicle Systems competition in Maryland. His experience there made him decide that he wanted to return to do his advanced degree. Now a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, Ranjith is pursuing his Masters’ degree in Mechanical Engineering. He says that the friendliness and the value that the Midwest places on extended family makes him feel very much at home. He aspires to be a technological entrepreneur in the field of medical devices. He enjoys swimming, playing cricket, and exploring cultures.
