Destiny Is Not Where You Are—It Is What You Choose to Become
Nearly sixty years ago, I stood at one of the most important crossroads of my life. At the time, I did not realize that a single decision would shape the next six decades of my journey. Looking back today, I often wonder—not with regret, but with curiosity—how differently life might have unfolded had I chosen another path.
After completing my undergraduate degree in engineering in India, I found myself blessed with two extraordinary opportunities.
The first was to remain in India. I had been selected as a Management Trainee with DCM, one of India’s leading industrial companies at the time. The program promised an excellent career, and upon completion of my training, I would have been appointed as a manager in one of the company’s businesses. For a young engineer in India during the late 1960s, it was a prestigious and secure opportunity.
The second opportunity seemed almost unimaginable.
I had been admitted, with a scholarship, to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)—one of the world’s premier institutions for science and engineering. For someone fascinated by mathematics, physics, and engineering, Caltech was more than a university. It was a place where some of the greatest scientific minds of the twentieth century worked, taught, and challenged conventional thinking.
Among them was Professor Richard Feynman, whose brilliance and curiosity had already become legendary. The prospect of learning in such an environment filled me with excitement beyond words.
A Mother’s Concern
My mother and father saw my decision very differently.
My mother strongly wanted me to remain in India.
Her concern was not about education or ambition. It was about a mother’s love.
She worried about her young son traveling halfway around the world to a country where we had no relatives, no friends, and no support system. At that time, very few Indians went abroad for higher education, and international travel itself was a major undertaking. Communication was limited. There were no mobile phones, no internet, no video calls. Once you left, your family could only hope that everything would work out.
Her fears were understandable.
My father took a different view.
Rather than telling me what to do, he simply encouraged me to make the decision that I believed was best for my future. It was one of the greatest gifts he ever gave me—the confidence to make my own choices and accept responsibility for them.
What Was I Really Seeking?
People sometimes assume that I came to America because I dreamed of becoming wealthy or building successful companies.
The truth is much simpler.
I came because I wanted to learn.
I wanted to understand how the world worked.
I wanted to solve problems that others thought impossible.
I wanted to work alongside extraordinary scientists and engineers who expanded the boundaries of human knowledge.
At that stage of my life, I was driven almost entirely by curiosity.
The future was unknown, but the opportunity to learn from some of the finest minds in the world was impossible for me to ignore.
Looking Back
Over the next six decades, my journey took me places I could never have imagined.
I had the privilege of working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory during one of the most exciting periods of space exploration. Later, I contributed to technologies that became part of the Global Positioning System (GPS), helped build successful technology companies, founded and led public companies, practiced law, authored books, and now have the opportunity to work on applying artificial intelligence to improve healthcare through DRAI Health.
People often ask whether all of this would have happened had I stayed in India.
The honest answer is:
I do not know.
But I have thought about that question many times.
A Thought Experiment
Suppose I had accepted the DCM position.
Would my life have been completely different?
Almost certainly.
Would I have accomplished nothing?
I do not believe so.
As I have grown older, I have come to appreciate something that I did not fully understand when I was twenty-one years old.
Success is influenced by opportunity, but it is driven by something much deeper.
It is driven by desire.
It is sustained by confidence.
It is achieved through perseverance.
Countries create opportunities.
People create outcomes.
America opened extraordinary doors for me. For that, I will always be deeply grateful. The universities, research institutions, entrepreneurial ecosystem, and openness to innovation provided opportunities that profoundly shaped my life.
But opportunities alone do not create accomplishment.
Thousands of people receive opportunities every day.
Only a few transform those opportunities into meaningful contributions.
The difference lies not in geography but in mindset.
India Then and India Now
The India I left nearly sixty years ago is very different from the India we see today.
When I left, India was still a developing nation with limited access to advanced research facilities, venture capital, global technology networks, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Today, India is one of the world’s leading centers for technology, innovation, digital infrastructure, and entrepreneurship.
Indian universities are stronger.
Indian startups attract global investment.
Indian scientists lead major international research programs.
Indian entrepreneurs build world-class companies.
The choices available to today’s students are vastly different from those available to my generation.
This is why I believe there is no single “correct” answer for every student.
A Message to Young Students
Many young people ask whether they should pursue higher education abroad or build their careers in India.
My answer surprises them.
I tell them that the country matters less than the person.
Going abroad does not automatically create success.
Remaining in India does not limit success.
The important questions are:
What do you want to accomplish?
How deeply are you willing to work?
How much are you willing to sacrifice?
How resilient will you be when you encounter failure?
These questions determine your future far more than your location.
If studying abroad gives you access to knowledge, mentors, experiences, or opportunities that align with your goals, embrace it.
If staying in India allows you to build something extraordinary, embrace that path with equal confidence.
There is no universal formula.
Destiny Is Built, Not Given
One of the greatest lessons life has taught me is that destiny is rarely something that happens to us.
More often, it is something we create through countless decisions made over many years.
We often imagine that one decision defines our lives.
In reality, it is the thousands of decisions that follow—the willingness to keep learning, to adapt, to persevere, and to continue moving forward—that shape who we become.
The road you travel is important.
But even more important is how you travel it.
Looking Forward
If I had remained in India, my life would undoubtedly have looked different.
I might have worked in industry, contributed to India’s growth, built businesses, or served in entirely different ways.
Would the details have changed?
Certainly.
Would the purpose have changed?
I don’t think so.
I have come to believe that while opportunities differ from one country to another, purpose, determination, and perseverance transcend geography.
Countries may open doors.
Teachers may inspire us.
Mentors may guide us.
But ultimately, each of us must decide whether we will walk through those doors.
Sixty years after boarding a plane to California, I remain grateful for every opportunity America has given me and equally grateful for the values, education, and character that India instilled in me.
Together, they shaped my journey.
Yet the most enduring lesson I have learned is this:
You do not become successful because of the country you live in.
You become successful because you refuse to stop learning, refuse to stop growing, and refuse to give up on your dreams.
In the end, it is not the country that makes your destiny. It is your vision, your courage, and your perseverance that shape the path you leave behind.
— Dr. Mohan Ananda
Founder, DRAI Health
Scientist • Entrepreneur • Policy Innovator