"There is a practice in India, descended from Vedic tradition, called Pani Graha. In the presence of life-giving water, one takes the oath that one needs to keep for one's own worth. People hold water in their hands at weddings and on all important occasions while taking their oath. I promised my mother that I would help all of my siblings come to the United States."
Thus, with the future welfare of his family at stake, Raman Patel departed from his home in the little village of Satem to find his way in the unfamiliar environment of 1960's America. In the years that followed he would discover new sources of community, break into the exciting world of the fragrance industry, and take an enormous personal and financial leap of faith to start a business.
In Khandaan, Courage, & Chemistry, Raman Patel shares his reflections on a life centered around the giving spirit embodied within the word khandaan, the ways in which his parents' willingness to take risks for a better life informed his own adventurousness, the joy of "finding his game" in the fragrance industry as both a scientist and artist, and the importance of strong interpersonal connections. Conceived of initially as a piece of family history, and a text for his grandchildren and beyond, Raman's stories and thoughts are a rich source of insights gleaned from a life of tackling challenges head-on with an ever-present sense of playfulness, collected together and presented here so that all who might find value within them may benefit.
