In late 2007, I got on a plane for New Delhi and said a temporary goodbye to my lovely life in San Francisco. Goodbye to friends, family, and my world of progressive nonprofit work in the U.S. This marks my fifth trip to India, but it is the first time I’ve arrived without a specific return date in mind.
What have I been up to? Hindi studies, travel, living in New Delhi, and a deeper exploration of the many challenges that India faces. Lately, though, it has been rewarding just to turn “India” the concept in my head into “India” my apartment, “India” my friends, and “India” … my morning commute.
I guess some things never change.
(Special thanks to Sabiha Basrai for designing this blog’s title graphic.)
—————
May 2009 Update: I returned to the U.S. in May 2008, and I’m long overdue for a return visit to India. Staying in touch with friends in New Delhi via Facebook just doesn’t cut it. If you want to read my current writings on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs, go to digdeeper.us.
Sanjeev's travels 
Hi Sanjeev,
Took me a while to locate a way to find you! Hope you are doing well – I have a book to send if, if you are still interested. If so, contact me with an address where I can mail it to you. If not, take care and I wish you peace and health in your life.
Chris
By: Christina Ewing on January 23, 2008
at 2:01 pm
hi Sanjeev, welcome to india,
hope to see your revelations in your blog
vinay
By: Vinay on March 1, 2008
at 5:01 pm
Hi Sanjeev,
I am trying to find Franz Gastler. His email does not work on his website. Do you have his email?
By: Lavinia Gene Weissman on April 3, 2008
at 2:44 am
Hey Lavinia – just sent you an email. – sb
By: Sanjeev on April 3, 2008
at 9:29 am
Dear Sanjeev:
I had a wonderful three months this year exploring India! I enjoyed most every place I visited, but like yourself I was put out by the Kalighat temple. If you send me a message I’ll give you my brief account of my experience.
Ted Ulrich
By: Ted Ulrich on September 22, 2008
at 2:24 am
Don’t know if shahrukh of swadesh was inspired by you, or you were inspired by him to return and work for india leaving back a cushy job. I am impressed. super impressed.
Will return to your blog more often to learn what all you are doing.
By: Rahi on December 12, 2008
at 5:34 pm
Ahh, Swadesh. Saw that flick in a theater in San Francisco. 🙂
By: Sanjeev on May 20, 2009
at 4:23 am
Hi Sanjeev,
excuse my English, since I’m Dutch you might want to forgive me.
Having said that, I was wondering why you went to LLS. I understand that you are from Indian origin.
I was born in Surinam (South America) and my roots to India go back aprox 5 generations.
I don’t speak Hindi, but learning to.
What would you recommend: A planned trip (which is quite expensive (USD 3200.-) or make plans indivually?
Awaiting your response,
Kay
By: Kawita on May 3, 2009
at 9:26 pm
Kawita – If you have a little patience and are a bit adventurous, I recommend making plans individually.
Having said that, it also depends on how much time you plan on spending in India. Making plans individually takes time, buying train tickets, finding a hotel, etc etc. If you are only going for a couple of weeks, a pre-planned package deal can save you time.
Of course, you can also just use a Lonely Planet guide, book hotels individually from your home via phone, and give yourself a couple of days buffer to deal with buying train tickets, etc, when you get there. Though I believe you can now buy Indian train tickets, plane tickets, etc from abroad anyhow.
By: Sanjeev on May 20, 2009
at 4:22 am
Sanjeev,
It was good to meet you and Scott’s wedding. How did the sunday morning activites go?
Genesis
By: Genesis Brown on May 7, 2009
at 7:40 am
Hey Genesis – great meeting you too – Sunday morning went well, they invited me back, that went well too, now I wait. 🙂
By: Sanjeev on May 20, 2009
at 4:19 am
Hi Sanjeev,
I came across your blog about your stay in India when I googled “safdarjung enclave housing”. Your experience in India seemed so enriching and I loved your posts.
I’ll be interning and working on my thesis in India from June 09 to January 2010, and will be staying somewhere in Safdarjung Enclave. I was wondering if I could contact you with some questions I had about living in Delhi (ie. where you took your hindi classes, etc)?
-Sheena
By: Sheena Patel on May 14, 2009
at 3:20 am
Sheena – Thanks for the compliments! Feel free to contact me at sanjeevberyatyahoodotcom
By: Sanjeev on May 20, 2009
at 4:18 am
are working on arsenic or water?
am saurabh, filmmaker mentioned in Times report on your blog…same ya..
saurabh
By: saurabh on May 26, 2009
at 3:11 pm
Hi Sanjeev,
My name is Jordan Hampton and I am a 21 year old student at Hendrix College. I am applying for a Watson Fellowship and would like to work with potable water in India. I have to have contacts in the countries that I would like to do my studies and help in, yet I do not know of anyone, do you have any ideas?
Thank You Very Much,
Jordan Hampton
By: Jordan Hampton on September 18, 2009
at 11:14 pm
Hi Sanjeev How are you ?
By: rohit supakar on May 14, 2011
at 8:45 pm
Are you an American or do you have a background of Arab or sometihng..(outta curiosity…)
By: Esat on July 19, 2014
at 6:10 am