-Dr Vindhya Persaud
SHE is a very accomplished woman, who wears multiple hats at present, so to speak. And yet, most of her work is voluntary! The deep and immeasurable sense of satisfaction that comes from helping others just cannot compare to anything material or financial. She is none other than Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud, born and raised in Georgetown by her proud parents, renowned Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud and his devoted wife, Indranie Persaud.
Vindhy, as she is lovingly called, is involved in activities that are too numerous to mention in this article. Her work ranges from being a medical doctor to teaching art and dance classes, to pioneering relief efforts of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha.

Approximately five years ago, she started writing for and editing a magazine called ‘Horizon’, which is published annually; and more recently, she entered the field of politics. She was asked last year to campaign for the People’s Progressive Party during the 2011 regional and general elections, and was subsequently selected as a Member of Parliament for the Government side. She has since sat at two sessions of the National Assembly.
Vindhy’s major inspiration comes from her parents. She has always been a supporter of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), but has worked more behind the scenes.
In an interview with the Chronicle at the Kendra in Prashad Nagar, Vindhy revealed that being on the campaign trail has been a learning experience for her, and one that was quite humbling.
“People say ‘Why politics? It’s a very dirty game.’ It can be dirty if you want it to be, but if you conduct yourself with great dignity and integrity, and you maintain a good character, nothing can taint you,” she remarked.

Proud Guyanese
Vindhya is very proud of her country. She has a passion for helping and serving people right here, instead of using her resources elsewhere. “I’m a very proud Guyanese, and I always speak well of my country when I am abroad.”
Vindhy is a former Queen’s College student. She believes in doing all she can to help others, and not expecting anything in return.
“When abroad (to study), I realize there was a lot of Guyanese there, and a big part of me always wanted to be home. Yes, I can go abroad and work there, but I would be a drop in the ocean, perhaps not making much of a difference. In Guyana, we have a smaller number of people to deal with. I may be just one person, but within me I have found that passion and energy to reach out and help others. And I wanted to come home and help others. I realized: ‘Why go and give something out there, when charity begins at home? Come home and do it, where the need is greater; so much greater,’” she said.
Vindhy has been a doctor since 2001, and is currently in the process of setting up premises for her private practice on Camp Street.
She was trained at the University of Guyana’s (UG) School of Medicine, and prior to that had studied pharmacy. “And I didn’t really work as a pharmacist; I just did voluntary service, after my graduation, at the Georgetown Hospital.” After graduating as a doctor, she worked at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Department of Surgery, and later at the Emergency Unit. She then left to teach at UG’s School of Medicine, where she taught the pre-clinical sciences for three years.
Vindhy later began working at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital, and again worked in the Department of Surgery and Emergency.

Volunteer work
In 2005, when Guyana experienced severe flooding, Vindhy was very involved in the Sabha’s efforts to provide relief to persons living in the affected communities. She and others took food and medication, among other things, into the affected areas; and after realizing that some of the communities had consistent needs, she arranged to provide further help.
Vindhy has also worked in the fields of HIV, alcohol abuse, and more recently, violence. In 2009, she was part of the launch of the ‘Voices against Child Abuse’ programme that was attended by former President Bharrat Jagdeo. The President had committed to providing a shelter for abused children, and last year that promise was materialized. Very soon, construction of the shelter to house about 30 children will commence.
This talented woman has also worked with HIV peer educators, training them to deal with others. She is also Executive Assistant Secretary of the Dharmic Sabha, and chairs the women’s arm of the Sabha. Moreover, she is advisor of the youth body of the Sabha.
Over the years, Vindhya has been working at establishing youth groups all across Guyana, and because of her interest in youths, she managed to convince Chief Executive Officer of the Chutney Soca Monarch, George Singh, to change the rules of the competition to exclude lyrics that promote use of alcohol.
“He said to me, ‘You have achieved something that Trinidad has been trying to get me to do for years.’ So, this year, there wasn’t anything on alcohol.”
Her willingness and passion to help others are qualities that were fostered by her dear parents. “They have given a lot to community development over the years, and we have grown up seeing that. Seeing that has fuelled all of us in our own way to give back.”

Don’t rush in
Vindhya answered all of the Chronicle’s questions in a quite bold and confident manner. She knew what she was about, and did not hesitate to say what she wanted to. She told it like it was, and conducted a rather lively interview.
Asked about marriage plans, she blushed, laughed, and became seemingly nervous as to how to respond. The question which she apparently avoids came suddenly upon her, and it took a while to sink in.
She recalled being asked the same thing during an interview with Gem Magazine, which was aired on television recently, and was teased by family members and friends afterwards. She couldn’t even remember what her response was.
Vindhya finally told the Chronicle that she has not found anybody that she felt she had “that connection” with. “I mean, I’ve been single all the time; I’ve never gone out with anyone. My friends told me that I intimidate guys.
“But I’m a very normal, regular person,” she laughed, adding, “I do want to get married. I do want children, I do want everything… It’s not that I want to end up in a nunnery or something like that.
“I have always believed… ‘Don’t rush into anything; don’t feel that you have to be pressured into anything, be it marriage, kids…’ A lot of young people are forced into relationships; there is time for everything in your life. There are a lot of other things out there. Some people end up in relationships where they are unhappy because they rushed into it.
“I feel there’s a person for everybody. Compromise is good, but don’t change yourself to become somebody else. If someone meets you, they should like you for who you are,” she advised.
Vindhy could not readily call to mind any of the mistakes she made in her life so far, and would only say that she should have done certain things (in a general sense) earlier, rather than leaving them for later.
She loves reading, and hence would read just about anything. Though her friends think she works all the time, Vindhy said that is not the case. She said it was about effective time management.
She also enjoys spending time on art and craft, and being alone, especially in the mornings “before facing the world.”
Vindhy likes to see results very quickly, and gets frustrated very easily when people tend to delay or not be very active.