She is soft-spoken but her voice carries the determination of her commitment on which she is campaigning for the City Council elections in Cupertino, California.
A Bengalurean by birth and heritage, and American by citizenship, Sheila Mohan - the granddaughter of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya (Sir MV) - has her mind set on the forthcoming elections in her city of 60,000 people, which is also the headquarters of the consumer electronics giant, Apple.
She is contesting the City Council elections scheduled in November this year. She is very clear about what she envisions for her electorate, fiscal transparency, sustainable housing for all, partnership with other regional agencies, and greater community participation.
Sheila is visiting her family and friends in Bengaluru. Her brother Satish lives in an old bungalow opposite The Only Place - the well-known steak house on Museum Road.
Inside, the driveway, the lawn, the tall trees, and the red oxide floor in the foyer of the 90-year-old bungalow that Sir MV had selected for his family carry with them the last remaining vestiges of Bengaluru - that despite the onslaught of forced consumerism and urbanisation - continues to deliver on the promise of unmatched weather and peaceful co-existence.
Against the backdrop of monsoon showers on a July afternoon, Sheila and Satish shared glimpses of their growing up years under the shadow of their thatha (grandfather). Sheila brought out a leatherframed photograph of him with Pt Nehru, who had come to wish the former on his 100th birthday.
"Thatha came from humble beginnings from Muddenahalli village in the foothills of Nandi Hills. He grew up studying under the light of a lamp. He lived a very disciplined, regulated, and austere life, and was a stickler for time," she says.
"He was a familyoriented person and would insist that our parents sat down with him for meals. He used to tell my mother that she should also spend time with her parents, and go out, and meet friends instead of just looking after the house. He had started the Ladies Club on Infantry Road," she adds.
Sir MV lived in a palatial bungalow on number 5, Cubbon Road, where the Visvesvaraya Towers now stand. "The house belonged to the government, and thatha used to pay a monthly rent. He had selected this house for my father in 1955. He never stayed here," recalls Sheila.
Talking about herself and her foray into politics, she says despite being an immigrant she has received a lot of affection from Americans. "It is a very accepting country and embraces everyone. Cupertino has attracted a lot of immigrants like me from India, China, and Japan. We live together as one community. On my road I have some fellow Kannadigas as neighbours," she says.
Sheila has earlier worked with the US government for 30 years and her choice to enter politics is obvious.
The City Council is the highest policymaking body in any city in the USA. "We need to provide a range of opportunities to the people. I have promised to bring in fiscal transparency, partnership with other regional agencies and provide sustainable housing opportunities to all. I have the backing of five former mayors and all native Americans," she says with a smile.
Sheila’s daughter and granddaughters have accompanied her for the vacation in ooru. They see Sir MV's statues in the city and call him 'statue thatha' - the closest they can get to the daunting legacy of their patriarch and the Indian legend.