Who she is…
Nilofar (Nilu) Gagan, a Business Administration major who believes inspiration comes from the people around her.
Why she’s
interesting…
Gagan is originally from India, where she was born into a family of medical doctors.
“I am the first [in my family] to come to the United States,” Gagan said. “Since I was a baby, my parents always said that I was rebellious.”
Gagan said she was always against the traditional culture in India that did not allow women to have freedom to do what they wanted.
“In India, women are treated very differently, they are not free to choose what they want to do,” she said. “I never liked that culture, I was always against that. I wanted a guy that would marry me and let me do a job or study after getting married.”
Fortunately, Gagan’s family arranged for her to be married to an Indian-American man from the United States, who she met through a family friend.
“My father was always independent, he wanted women’s rights,” Gagan said. “That is why my father said it was okay to marry Adam and come to the United States.”
Gagan said that she is very glad she married her husband, Adam.
“He’s very inspiring to me and to men in India,” she said. “I hope that they learn from him.”
Gagan said if she would not have married Adam, she would not have control of her life.
“If I say ‘Adam I am going out with my friends,’ he would be fine,” she said. “He’s such a nice husband, I really appreciate him.”
Gagan said that when she came to the United States, it was not like she imagined at all.
“I took a big risk to come here,” she said. “When I came here, it was totally different. The diversity of people I did not expect at all.”
On her way to the United States, the plane Gagan was on stopped midway in New York.
“My plane stopped in New York and it was raining,” she said. “And when my flight landed, I saw the rainbow. I think that was a sign from God saying my life would be colorful here.”
Gagan has a passion for helping others and seeing the inspiration that can come from the people around her.
“I’m very interested in always making new friends,” she said. “I just like helping people, it really makes a difference when you help someone financially, emotionally or just as a friend.”
Gagan said on her street growing up, she knew of families that were poor and it was not uncommon to see children that were naked, sitting on the street eating dirt.
“I would ask them why they were so happy and they would say, ‘the people, the people around me are just so nice,’ and it would make me cry,” she said. “It really makes a difference — everyone needs someone to talk to and to share to.”
Gagan said a big reason that she is involved in the International Students Organization at Sinclair Community College is because she wants to help others.
“I want to make a difference in someone’s life before I die,” she said. “I want to help those international students because I know how it feels when you leave your family and go to a totally new world.”
Gagan said one of the best things about Sinclair is the feeling she gets of not giving up on your life.
“One of the best things is the diversity of age; you can have people that are 50 years old in your class — not that they are old, just inspiring,” she said. “It is proof that they are not giving up. In India, you will find that people in college are all fresh out of high school.”
Gagan is president of the International Students Organization and A Culturally Educated Sisterhood club at Sinclair. She also works in the Student Leadership Development office and volunteers at Sycamore Hospital.
“Sometimes I question myself and wonder why I am doing all these things, but I don’t regret anything,” she said. “It’s inspiring, I am inspiring myself. It’s giving me motivation and reason to live a life.”
Gagan said in the two years she has been in the United States, her life has changed for the better.
“I don’t know what good I could have done in my life to let God bless me to come here,” she said. “I am very fortunate to be here and when I think back on my life I’m like, ‘man my life is fun.’”