He has his fingers on the pulse of the Indian community for over a decade. Freelance journalist Mahadev Desai is a familiar and well respected face around town. Whether you pick up Atlanta Dunia magazine, Khabar magazine or NRIPULSE newspaper, or look up Atlantadunia or NRIPULSE websites, you are bound to see contributions with his by-line. Tanzania born Mahadev Desai is a voracious reader and a prolific writer. His repertoire includes coverage of Community events, literary reviews, short stories, ‘humor’ pieces, profiles of prominent community members, movie and play reviews.

Mahadev was born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. His mother, Savita Desai and father, Maganlal Desai, from Surat, Gujarat, emigrated to Tanzania, after graduating from Elphinstone College, Bombay,with B.A.(Hons). His father, a school teacher, later joined the High Court. When Mahadev was nine, Maganlal Desai was transferred to Nairobi, Kenya to work in the Court of Nairobi, where he progressively rose to become the first Asian Registrar, Court of Appeals. For his dedicated and loyal services, he was also bestowed with the prestigious ‘MBE’(Member of British Empire).
 

With India Ambassador Ronen Sen

Mahadev and his seven brothers grew up in Nairobi. Mahadev graduated from Jamhuri High School. At School, he was an avid sportsman. He was a captain of the school’s cricket team and team player for volleyball, hockey, soccer and other traditional Indian games.

After graduating from High School, he qualified for a Kenya Government bursary and went for further studies to Bombay where he earned his B.Com. degree from Sydenham College. At College, he continued playing Cricket. He represented his College in the Inter-College cricket competitions. He also won prizes in table tennis competitions and other sports challenges.

After getting his degree, he returned to Nairobi . He studied and qualified for the ‘Institute of Chartered Secretaries’ examination and also the ‘Institute of Taxation’ examination. During his career, he held several accounting and taxation jobs.

His wife, Ansuya, was born in Moshi, Tanzania but raised in Mombasa, Kenya. After getting married in Mombasa, Kenya in 1958. After getting married in Mombasa,Kenya in 1958 and after a few accounting and taxation jobs, he made a switch to teaching. With his experience in commercial subjects, Mahadev again won a bursary for a post-graduate teacher training course in England. Rejoiced he went to London in 1963 to complete further studies at Garnett College, London. As his wife and daughter Sandhya could not accompany him, he experienced a new culture and made the necessary adjustments living at the College hostel with majority English students. He found London a very exciting place. He enjoyed sightseeing, visiting famous libraries, art galleries, cinemas and theatres. As part of his training, he even taught English boys and girls at the Kingston Polytechnic. His stay in London was a life-enriching experience as he experienced culture from all over the world. He returned to Nairobi after a year and began teaching commercial subjects at the Kenya Polytechnic, a Technical Institute. He co-authored a book ‘Elements on Accounts’, which became a well sought resource for students, shortly after its publishing.

Because of the prevailing economic and political climate around 1974, he decided to leave Kenya for London, where he spent sixteen years performing various jobs. His wife, Ansuya, who had her hands full as homemaker in an extended family in Nairobi, also took up full time office jobs. In the meantime, their only daughter, Sandhya graduated from high school and immigrated to the US, where she earned her Bachelors in Nursing degree from Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana. Sandhya got married to Harshad Shah, in a traditional Hindu ceremony in London and soon thereafter made their home in Atlanta. After a few years they invited Mahadev and Ansuya to join them in Atlanta.
 

Interviewing former Gujarat Chief Min.Keshubhai Patel

In Atlanta, Mahadev began contributing and volunteering his time and efforts to the Atlanta Community, He began writing articles for India American Cultural Association’s and Gujarati Samaj’s in-house publications, ‘Voice of India’ and ‘Darpan’ magazines respectively. In the mid-nineties, Prashant Shah, the publisher of ‘India Tribune’ newspaper in Chicago had started an Atlanta edition and offered a ‘Community News Editor’ post to Mahadev. Mahadev and Atlanta’s well known performing arts promoter and marketing manager Mustafa Ajmeri ran the Atlanta office of India Tribune. Journalism opened a new, exciting and wondrous world for Mahadev. It afforded an opportunity to meet Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan,Hema Malini,noted singers like Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kumar

Sanu,dignitaries from different walks of life in the US and from abroad, politicians, public figures, spiritual leaders, stage actors, famed authors and poets. He has also contributed articles to Atlanta’s  widely read

Receiving Gandhi Foundation Award from late Giriraj Rao

‘ Khabar’ magazine He also covered some mega events like Festival of India, AHOHA conventions,Charotar Patidar Convention, historic installation ceremony of the Gandhi Statue in Atlanta, inauguration ceremony of BAPS landmark temple in Lilburn, Georgia and the Jain Temple in Atlanta, to name a few. But whichever event he covered, he never lowered his standards and tried to be as accurate, and thorough as possible.

As a proud member of the Gandhi Foundation, Co-founded by the late Giriraj Rao, he felt privileged to participate and cover Mahatma Gandhi’s and Dr.Martin Luther King’s Birthday celebrations. A past member of the Gandhi Task Force and currently a Board member of the Gandhi Foundation USA, in Atlanta, Mahadev continues to strive to promote Gandhi’s teachings.

Journalism and knowledge of Gujarati, Hindi and English made him a strong resourceful volunteer as a Cultural Information Officer, at the 1996 Centennial Olympics in Atlanta In the late nineties, he transferred to Boca Raton Florida with his family for a short four years, but continued to submit occasional writings to ‘Khabar’magazine.

Upon his return back to Atlanta in 2003, he resumed his career as a freelance journalist. In addition to the Khabar magazine, he began contributing writings to Atlanta Dunia, NRIPULSE and Kavita Chhibber’s website.

Mahadev dearly loves our community and is deeply grateful for all the support, advice and encouragement extended to him by his family, media colleagues, mentors and friends.


In recognition of his media services, Mahadev Desai has been bestowed with several Awards as listed below:

NFIA, National Park Service, US Dept. of Interior, Georgia Human Relations Commission

Dedication of the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the MLK Jr.Historical Site, Atlanta. Presented on January 24, 1998

Contributions to the Atlanta Indian Community and Khabar Magazine,16th June 1999

Community Service by Senior Citizens Program, Inc. on December 3, 2006

Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Riverdale, Georgia for journalism.


The Indian community in Atlanta is growing exponentially. More and more imaginative, innovative and bigger events are taking place now and for a committed and passionate journalist like Mahadev Desai, there is no limit to what he can contribute as a media representative. The journey is long and there are still many stories to tell.

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