No ordinary man, his recognitions and honors are surely many!
To begin with, he has been instrumental and worked enthusiastically in promoting the India Civil Nuclear treaty under President George Bush and the US India Defense treaty under President Obama.
He is the President of Indian American Forum for Political Education, one of the oldest Indian American associations; the Founding President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian (AAPI) origin in Mississippi and is the Past-President and Chair of the India Association of Mississippi.
He has held offices of prestige and repute in the US government and he has received US Congressional Recognition for coordinating Indo-US relations. He serves on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services National Advisory Council in the Biden-Harris administration. He is a conservative lifelong member of the Republican party, the Founding Member of the Republican Indian Council, which aimed at supporting and promoting Trump’s agenda. He has been honored for his role as the Adviser to the US Department of Health and Human Services in the George Bush administration. A close friend of the Bush family, he was instrumental in lobbying for the first Diwali celebration in the White House and accompanied President George W Bush and President Bill Clinton during their historic visit to India.
He joined the Executive Advisory Board of the Washington, DC-based think tank International Leaders’ Summit. He has also helped physicians, engineers, teachers, nurses and medical professionals during the green card reformation in the US.
The US has indeed benefited a lot from Dr Sampat Shivangi. He migrated to the US in 1976. But there’s a story behind it.
The Story of How it All Began
He was born in Athani city in Karnataka to Basawwa and Siddharama, an extremely successful businessman and the richest man of the town. He died of typhoid leaving behind his young family. Sampat was four-year-old. His mother and his maternal grandfather raised the five siblings. Even though the kids had a tough time growing up without a father, their mother left no stone unturned to provide them with everything they needed and ensured they achieved their successes in their unique ways. “Those were different times; culture in South India advises walking barefoot and we did – we never wore slippers. I miss those carefree days sometimes.”
He completed his schooling in Karnataka. “My brother forced me to go to medical college. He guided and ensured I studied hard and became successful.” He joined Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Karnataka, for his MBBS degree and later went to Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi, for his MD and Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He indeed studied hard to perform exceptionally well, so much that he is recognized as the best outgoing student of Kasturba Medical College, now known as Manipal Medical College, in the past 50 years.
Due to a political disturbance in Karnataka over the Belgaum border dispute, he had to leave the country so that his career doesn’t get affected. “I never wanted to leave India but the situations forced me to. I was disheartened to leave my home, my people, my country.” With a heavy heart, he left for the US but there was someone who was waiting for him to return too.
Sampat met Udaya in medical school, fell in love, pursued her and she too fell for him. He ensured meeting her before he left and promised her to return for her soon. The US, however, was not easy. There were not many Indians living there and he was the second doctor to come to the US. “I got busy in my new life. I used to work 24 hours, sometimes 36 and even 48 hours straight. Work was the only thing on my mind.” Later, he completed a fellowship from Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
After two years, in 1978, he went back to India and got married to Udaya. “Nobody believed me when I said that I’ll come back (chuckles).” He fulfilled his promise and along with his wife came back to the US. Udaya is also a physician and a lot more – a social activist, a philanthropist, a mother of two beautiful young daughters, and now a grandmother. She has served all these roles with much dignity and grace and brings joy and unmatchable support in Sampat’s life.
For the People!
The Shivangis have been living in Mississippi for the past 46 years and raised their two daughters here. Priya is married to Ashwin, a telecommunication Executive and they have a daughter, Siya. Priya did her graduation from American University and postgraduation from New York University. She worked in TIME magazine as an Assistant Editor for a few years before starting her own magazine, in Oscar, Texas. Pooja went to medical school in Georgetown but her interest laid elsewhere. She changed her career from medicine to law and is now a practicing attorney in Houston. She works for several NGOs and is the Chief Council for the Houston city. Her husband, Chirag, is an Executive at Shell and they have twin boys, Jaidan and Dilan.
A painful and depressing personal experience with his mother, who later in her life was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, forced him to take mental health seriously and he developed a deeper interest. “It left me in anguish. I was a stranger to her and she couldn’t recognize me.” Sampat is now an advocate for women’s health and mental health. He has been serving on the Board for the Department of Mental Health in Mississippi for several years now. The Mississippi Board of Mental Health named him the Chairman.
He did everything from policy changes to raising funds to help alleviate this emotionally draining disease both in the US and India. He is now focusing on postpartum depression, which is resulting in a high incidence of suicides. “I remember one incident with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi – a friend of mine. I once met him in Bangalore. He saw me from a distance and came and hugged me. We discussed Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and then I asked him, ‘How about mothers?’ After all, India had the highest rate of maternal morbidity and maternal mortality.” Touched by Sampat’s thought and opinion, Prime Minister Modi implemented the Maternity Benefit Program across country year 2017 onward.
AAPI spearheads free clinics and health fairs in India. It currently runs seven such clinics. As a member of the National Advisory Council at SAMHSA, Sampat helps bring best practices to bear both in Mississippi and also during AAPI’s activities and clinics in India. He is an occasional contributor to international publications on major issues on the global agenda and on the trends shaping the health care programs and the political environment.
Sampat is involved in many philanthropic activities like he serves with the Mississippi Foundation for Blind and Diabetic, Cancer and Heart Associations of America. India still tugs his heart. He has established primary and middle schools, cultural centers – some of them big enough to accommodate 1000 people at once, IMA Centers in India and brought the first ever US Congressional grant to AAPI to study Diabetes Mellitus among Indo-Americans. He now wishes to start a cancer hospital in India soon.
“Success is what you give back to society. Whatever I have, it may not be a lot, but I want to give it back. My heart beats for India.”