TMU alumni board member Neel Chauhan shares his plans for Diwali
Neel Chauhan (Business Management ’98) is Fiserv’s GM and VP of Product Management and the newly elected alumni representative on TMU’s Board of Governors. He also serves as an advisor to the Ted Rogers School of Management.
On Monday, many in our community will gather with family and friends to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. We caught up with Neel Chauhan, Business Management ’98, the newest alumni representative on the TMU Board of Governors, to find out how he and his family are celebrating Diwali and how he’s enjoying his new role with the board.
How would you describe Diwali to those unfamiliar with this cultural holiday?
Diwali is a festival of lights that celebrates the victory of light over darkness. Diwali is also known to many as Deepavali. On the eve of Diwali, celebrants light candles in small lamps (diya lamps) and place them around their homes and places of worship as a symbol of enlightenment.
How do you celebrate Diwali?
My family has mixed heritage from the United Kingdom and northern India (Gujarat). We celebrate Diwali by getting dressed up, lighting candles in our home (diyas), lighting fireworks, eating as a family and sharing gifts! My boys, who are six and nine years old, love the lights, fireworks and gifts!
The Chauhan children get ready for Diwali and the fireworks that ensued.
What does this holiday mean to you?
To my family and me, Diwali represents the triumph of good over evil and is a reminder of the importance of always trying to do the right thing (i.e., “do good”).
Is there a favourite dish or food item you look forward to each year?
My favourite thing to eat at Diwali is sweets, especially kaju katli.
Kaju katli, also called kaju burfi, is a cashew fudge and a popular Indian sweet often gifted during Diwali.
What’s your favourite Diwali tradition?
A very special tradition is lighting diyas (small clay lamps) and fireworks (including sparklers) with our sons.
A diya is an oil lamp made from clay or mud with a cotton wick dipped in ghee. Diyas symbolize goodness and purity. The act of lighting one represents the casting off of darkness and the entry into the light.
This summer you were elected as one of the three alumni representatives on the TMU Board of Governors. Why did you want to get involved in this way?
I’ve served TMU alumni and students for the past 20+ years as an alumni mentor, Ted Rogers Program Advisory Council Member and more recently, member of the Board of Governors. I’m deeply passionate about the development and growth of TMU alumni, and joining the Board of Governors has been a meaningful way to represent the alumni voice on the future direction of TMU.
What are you enjoying most about your work with the TMU Board?
Collaborating with TMU faculty, students and alumni who are all deeply passionate about serving the best interests of TMU students, alumni and society.
You’ve studied at other post-secondary institutions in the United States and in London, England. What was unique about your experience at TMU?
TMU provided me with an applied business education that prepared me for the rapidly transforming technology landscape. As one example, I was able to draw on the applied learnings and case studies from my Business 800 (BUS800) capstone course at the Ted Rogers School as a member of the growth-stage team at Google, based in Mountain View, California that scaled AdWords to 1M+ advertisers. I’ve also found that the relationships at TMU run deeper and stronger than any other institution I’ve attended. For example, my first job out of university at a tech start-up (Nectar) was secured through a TMU alumni relationship (Nectar and DataLogix founder Rob Gierkink).
Throughout the year, we honour the celebrations that our alumni observe. Want to share your unique holiday traditions? (google form) Let us know! (external link)