The story of how one family’s tragedy became a mission to help others live longer, healthier lives.
In 2008, Avinish Chaturvedi—27 years old, brilliant, on the verge of completing his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois—received a diagnosis of a rare strain of lung cancer.
His older brother Anand, then a vice president at a Fortune 1000 company in Charlotte, and sister-in-law Dr. Garima, completing her medical residency in Baltimore, were stunned. They dropped their American careers and returned to India to be with family—and to reassess the direction of their lives.
We tried to figure out how to honor my brother's last wishes : to do something to ease others' suffering.
Anand Chaturvedi
One option would have been to establish an annual award for cancer research dedicated in Avinish’s name.
But Dr. Garima asked a harder question:
While that would make us feel better once a year, how could we go about our lives the rest of the time, as if that were enough?
Dr. Garima Chaturvedi
They looked around at their own families—and at the entire Indian population. Diabetes had reached epidemic proportions. It riddled both sides of their family medical histories. And unlike cancer, diabetes was largely preventable through education and lifestyle change.
With their own money, Anand and Garima opened a diabetes clinic in Udaipur, Rajasthan—near Garima’s family and in the heart of a region where only 14% of people see a doctor at least every six months.
Dr. Garima would stay in India as Medical Director. Anand would return to his corporate job in Atlanta—while also serving as marketing and development director for the clinic and the nonprofit foundation they established alongside it.
They named it Deerghayu—Sanskrit for “long life.”
In a region where only 14% of people see a doctor every six months
The New York Times profiled Anand’s remarkable dual life—executive by day in Atlanta, clinic builder by night for Udaipur. The article captured the sacrifice, the commitment, and the results.
How can I manage to hold down basically two jobs on opposite sides of the globe without compromising my work effort for either? It's fairly simple: I don't have a social life. I don't play golf. I don't watch TV.
Avinish Chaturvedi passes away; family returns to India
Deerghayu Life Style Clinic opens in Udaipur, Rajasthan
UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs — sole Indian representative
US NDEP Partnership — only Indian NGO partner
The New York Times feature published
WHO NCD Conclave invitation — India
Project SHADOW — 15,000 women screened across 36 villages
Programs spanning two continents, honoring Avinish’s legacy
Today, Deerghayu Foundation operates programs in the United States and India. Anand now leads from Switzerland, building next-generation care intelligence systems while continuing to guide the Foundation’s strategic vision. Dr. Garima remains Global Program Director, maintaining active clinical and programmatic presence in India.
The mission that began in grief has become a life’s work.
दीर्घायु | DEERGHAYU FOUNDATION
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in memory of Avinish Chaturvedi.
USA: 121 Perimeter Centre West, Atlanta, GA 30346
India: 7, Technocrat Society, Bedla Road, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001
© 2026 Deerghayu Foundation. All rights reserved.