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Anand Shah

Yes, he's a Harvard graduate. But don't expect a guy in a suit or someone with a six figure salary. In fact, he's traded in all his savings to change lives.

What used to be a whiz kid with blonde-dyed hair in a Houston high school, is now Anand Shah, the founder of Indicorps, rubbing shoulders with the likes of the President of India. He's on an unrelenting mission ... to bring service to hearts of people, to make it "cool" to give.

Together with his two sisters, Rupal and Sonal, Anand started Indicorps to give young Indians in the U.S. a transformative chance to serve in rural India. This year, five girls and four boys (ages 21-26) are doing social work in India, taking second class trains and drinking masala chai. More fellowships are planned for the next year, senior-corps program is appended, and many other countries are taking note. The party has just barely begun.


Anand (rt) with his mentor

His intensity of conviction, creative methodologies and sincerity in purpose makes Anand an inspiration with all that he does. On Wednesday, April 30th, hear from a young leader who can not only talk the talk but who really walks the walk. This event is hosted in our home and there is no cost to attend; please RSVP for more details.

The Birth of Indicorps

In Anand's room, you can find many books by Gandhi. One of them is titled 'My Life is My Message', a line that's etched in Anand's heart.

After graduating from college, Anand looked for ways to apply his skills for social benefit. He became a teacher; but that wasn't what he was looking for. For a whole year, he went to India to study the 'Bhagavad Gita'; that also wasn't quite it.

Then it hit him. Something that Emerson described this way: "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Instead of going for the bigger house, better car, and the next promotion, this 26 year old literally went the other way -- he lives in a simple apartment next to Gandhi Ashram in India, his primary transportation is a rented three-wheeler rickshaw and his only reward is an extra hour of sleep.

All this to light a candle inside young hearts, a candle that will continue to light many others. And if you look at Anand, you see proof positive that it works.

Other Indicorps fellows are following suit. Kabir Kumar, for example. "I have visited India 24 times -- you wouldn't believe -- to attend 23 family weddings," he says. After his first three months as an Indicorps fellow, Kabir is already a changed man: "I have experienced myself and gained an insight into who I am. I will never be the same person again."

Their slogan really sums it all up: service for the soul.

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