Bangalore, India is far from where Sai has spent the last eight years, but his mind immediately goes back there when thinking about home.

Sai talks about life after the passing of his father, when his family moved from Mumbai to Bangalore. The support of extended family became so important during this time. And looking back, it is those family memories of belonging and safety that remain strongest for him.

As we chat, Sai mentions that life lessons, particularly of patience, staying grounded, and the fleeting nature of success have challenged and developed him as the person he is today.

A Master's degree under his belt, Sai spent years trying to find a pathway into a PhD programme. Opportunities have come and gone, and plans didn't always work out for him. He says that progress often felt slow, uncertain, and frustrating. However, moving to New Zealand certainly wasn’t part of the pathway he envisioned for himself.

Sai talks about life with a philosophical lens, talking about how difficult times have a way of reminding you that there are no guarantees in life. Because of that, he tries to bring the same approach to life regardless of whether it is going well, or not. Keeping the switch set to kindness can be difficult during challenging times, but it grounds him.

Now nearly a decade after taking up a PhD opportunity in Dunedin, that unexpected decision has become one of the most important chapters of his life so far. The PhD turned into work, then residency and contributing to a place that has become a home away from home. But Sai has stopped trying to predict where life will take him.

Moving to Dunedin was one of the biggest challenges he has ever faced. Sai had not lived outside India before, and Dunedin felt overwhelming when he first arrived. Everything felt unfamiliar and the cultural shock was felt intensely. There was no family here, the comfortable routines of India disappeared, and he was unsure that the right decision had been made. He remembers seriously reconsidering if he should pack his bags and leave.

But time can change situations, and Dunedin became much more than a place to study for him. Sai found his perspective on life broadening the longer he stayed. Dunedin introduced him to lifelong friendships, and helped him discover new things about himself. One of the biggest surprises for him was realising that he was not as introverted as he had thought. With the encouragement of newly found friends and a supportive community, Sai started to open up and his personality began to shine more than ever before.

I met up with Sai during a time he was preparing to return to India, and he talked about looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, and pursuing those dreams that were always just out of reach.  Learning the sitar, having a go at stand-up comedy, and becoming involved in snake rescue and conservation work which has always been a passion. There is also a dream of building a small farmhouse where his mother can spend her later years surrounded by nature and a more peaceful life that has been a long time coming.

Sai wanted to have his portraits taken at Signal Hill, overlooking Dunedin. It was a naturally fitting place to acknowledge an unexpected plan that took him across the world, to a place that has become a significant part of his life. I asked Sai his thoughts on this life journey, and the unexpected turns he has experienced. 

"Now I've just learned to let life surprise me and take whatever comes and say thank you."