America is regarded as a nation of opportunity, where everyone may succeed. To access these opportunities, hundreds of Indians travel to the United States every year. But have you ever wondered what obstacles people must surmount in order to survive in a foreign country?
Kanjibhai Manchhu Desai, the first Indian motel owner in the US, is one such person who with his unwavering spirit of fighting created a name for himself in a foreign land.
In the early 1940s, he purchased the Goldfield Hotel in the heart of San Francisco. He also created chances for other Patels to visit America from India and lease a motel. He faced many obstacles because of his unlawful status and linguistic limitations, but Kanjibhai's indomitable spirit and ability to persevere in the face of insurmountable challenges earned him a place in American culture and history. The life of Kanjibhai Manchhu Desai, who overcame impossible obstacles to succeed in America, remains a timeless story.
The journey from Surat to America
Kanji Manchhu Desai set out for America in search of solutions to better his family's circumstances back in India. Although his quest was dangerous, his unwavering spirits kept him on track which eventually helped him find livelihood in America. In 1937, Desai arrived in the US. The combination of his unlawful status, racial persecution, and linguistic difficulties ought to have made him leave. But he persisted and eventually landed work of picking fruit on a farm for incredibly little pay, the only work he could get given his unauthorised status.
The first Indian to open a hotel in America
During the era of Japanese internment that followed the attack on Pearl Harbour in the 1940s, Kanjibhai discovered the hotel industry in California. A Japanese woman who had to leave everything there sold Kanjibhai a hotel lease. He rented hotels with single-room occupancy (SRO).
Kanjibhai had the unshakeable will to persevere in the face of insurmountable challenges in order to carve out a place for himself in American culture and history. He began advancing his hotel business to success with the help of the Indian philosophy "Atithi Devo Bhava".
How Kanjibhai helped numerous Patels to acquire hotel leases in the US?
When Kanjibhai became the lessee of his first SRO, he used it for any Patel who desired to migrate to America. He created possibilities for other Patels to come to America from their native country and save the money needed for the down payment on a hotel lease. In his SRO, his fellow Patels could dine and stay until they had saved enough money for a down payment on a hotel of their own. Kanjibhai and other Patels also provided handshake loans without requiring repayment.
Starting a business in a foreign land is not an easy job. There are inevitable hurdles that founders must overcome while launching a business. The success of founders in the US market like that of Kanjibhai is evidence of their tenacity and adaptability. Founders like Kanjibhai have demonstrated their ability to overcome obstacles by breaking down barriers and thriving in a foreign land. Kanjibhai's struggle, challenges and triumphs will keep his story alive for generations to come.
