Born and raised with humble beginnings in India, I left my birthplace for postgraduate training in health and medicine in Great Britain. In search of opportunity and prosperity in my medical career, my wife, Sofia, and I came to the United States in 1982 and joined her family. I began my career as a medical resident and worked my way up to become Chief of Medicine at Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center in Dearborn. My wife and son, Asad, and I live in the home we built in Canton. Immigrating to Michigan was the best decision I ever could have made for my family. My wife is an accomplished artist, author and poet and my son is studying hard at the University of Michigan in preparation for medical school next year. I am extremely proud of my family.
In 2008 I was elected to the Canton Board of Trustees, the first Democrat elected in recent times. It has been a great honor to work with the community and serve on the board of directors of the Canton Community Foundation and the Wayne County Senior Alliance with the shared goal of enhancing the quality of life for Canton residents. While serving as a trustee, I worked with my colleagues in a bipartisan manner to aggressively attract businesses, lower the personal property tax and offset the rising cost of water for our township.
I am running for Congress because, as a small business owner and physician, I've dedicated my career to helping others less fortunate than myself. I have been very blessed to provide for my family and put my son through college. However, many of my patients and constituents are not as fortunate and although they are hard working, skilled individuals they are unable to find work due to Michigan’s high unemployment rate. I know Michigan has the talent, expertise and work ethic to compete in today’s global market place. As a small business owner, I understand how jobs are created and I will work with the private sector to bring good paying jobs back to Michigan. As a physician, I understand how the financial and medical sides of our health system work. This experience has taught me how to treat the symptoms of a problem and when to treat the actual problem.
Americans are tired of all or nothing politics and failed divide-and-conquer strategies; they want an independent voice who can work across the aisle. Recognizing that to prosper as a community, we must embrace our differences and work together for our future generations. In the end, we all can benefit from the opportunities that are afforded to each of us, without raising the burden on our seniors and the less fortunate. I believe my unique skill set and experiences personally and professionally make me the ideal representative for the outstanding citizens of the 11th Congressional District.
Welcome to my website and I invite you to learn more about my views on health care, national security, jobs and the economy, and other issues I’m passionate about. In the months ahead, I look forward to sharing my plan with each of you.