Chandrika: A Life of Quiet Courage, Service
and Heart
Chandrika’s story begins in Uganda, where
she was born and completed her primary education. From those early years, she
carried with her a strong sense of community, faith and duty—values that would
later shape a life devoted to helping others.
In 1977, Chandrika came to the United
Kingdom and settled into a new country with determination and grace. She
completed a basic accountancy course in Leicester, building practical skills
and confidence for the journey ahead. In 1979, she married, and in 1980 the
couple were blessed with two sons—her greatest pride and lifelong joy.
Life also took Chandrika beyond Britain.
Through her husband’s work, she travelled and lived in Brunei and Norway,
gaining wider experience of the world while keeping her family at the centre of
everything she did. In 1992, they returned to the UK, where Chandrika continued
to build a life grounded in service, stability and compassion.
A Heart for Charity, Especially Cancer
Causes
Chandrika is deeply passionate about
charity—especially cancer charities—because she believes that when someone is
fighting illness, they should never feel alone. Her fundraising has never been
about attention; it has been about action.
More than 30 years
ago, she arranged an extraordinary challenge: 200 laps of swimming to raise
money for Macmillan Cancer charity. And she didn’t stop after doing it once—she
repeated such efforts many times, showing not only physical strength, but also the
steady discipline of someone who truly means what she says.
Since 2006, Chandrika has devoted herself
to fundraising for Cancer Research UK in a unique
and spiritual way: reciting the Hanuman Chalisa with community members to raise
funds, which were then given to the Charity.
She also took a leading role in the organisation of various
Bhagwat Saptah programmes, again using faith, unity
and community spirit to support charitable causes.
Keeping Language and Culture Alive
Chandrika’s charity has never been only
about money—it has also been about preserving identity and nurturing roots. For
18 years, she volunteered at Cannon High School, teaching Gujarati every Sunday
for a couple of hours. She did this so that young people could stay connected
to the Gujarati language and culture with pride and confidence.
This long commitment—week after week, year
after year—speaks of her patience, her love for community, and her belief that
giving is not always grand; sometimes it is simply turning up, consistently,
with care.
Samuh Lagan: Charity with Dignity
For the last 15 years, Chandrika has been
closely associated with a cause very near to her heart: samuh lagan—mass
marriage ceremonies for poor, underprivileged families in remote areas of Gujarat, who cannot afford even the basics.
Chandrika is clear about what this means to
her. She says it is not only about arranging a ceremony—it is dharma, a social
responsibility, and it must be done with dignity. In
her words, we go from UK and merge into the family we are helping - arranging
everything with them, with respect and warmth, so that the families feel
supported, not judged.
She becomes emotional
when she observes some small details needing attention —the moments that others
might overlook. She speaks of families who cannot afford even a simple
mangalsutra. When we arrange a small, nice mangalsutra for a bride, she feels a
sense of deep satisfaction—not because it is expensive, but because it helps a
young woman feel valued on a day that matters. These
are the moments that show the true spirit of her service: thoughtful, personal,
and full of heart.
She also notes that many people who do
kanyadan continue to maintain relationships with the couples
afterwards—encouraging them, supporting them, and strengthening their family
life. For Chandrika, charity is not a one-day event; it is a bond.
Service in the Wider Community
Chandrika’s spirit of volunteering has also
reached national service. She participated as a volunteer at the UK Olympics
and received a certificate of praise for her contribution—recognition of the
same steady dedication she brings to everything she does.
Alongside her charity work, Chandrika also
lived a working life rooted in loyalty and pride. She worked for Boots
continuously for 25 years until retirement—an achievement that reflects her
reliability and strong work ethic.
Still Moving Forward
Even now, Chandrika’s passion for charity
is running high. She is planning to acquire her swimming licence again, with a
heartfelt aim: to teach disabled people to swim one-to-one. This is especially
meaningful because she was a coach at Harrow Leisure Centre for a long time,
and she wants to return to that kind of direct, life-changing support—helping
someone gain confidence and independence in the water.
Faith, Family and the Source of Her
Strength
Chandrika gives credit to God, the Bhagavad Gita, and the teachings of values that she sees as blessings for her family and as the source of her courage. Her family is well settled, qualified, and serving with dignity. One son is a Cambridge graduate working in education, and the other is an LSE graduate working as an actuary at HSBC, serving abroad in different locations.
Yet for Chandrika and her husband, the
dream remains simple: charity—nothing else.
A Lasting Impression
Chandrika’s life shows that inspiration
does not always arrive with noise. Sometimes it comes quietly—through a woman
who teaches children every Sunday to keep their language alive, who swims lap
after lap to raise money for others, who turns prayer into fundraising, and who
travels far simply to stand beside families who need support.
Her story is not just about what she has
done. It is about how she has done it: with faith, dignity, consistency, and a
generous heart.
