A Brave Warrior, A Proud Hindu: Milind Makwana’s Ultimate Sacrifice

Milind Makwana was a real "karma yogi" and a resilient warrior.

After attending the Cupertino, CA, meeting on the SB403 Caste Bill, Milind suffered a massive heart attack around 11:30 pm on July 18. Doctors' best efforts and fellow volunteers' presence could not save him. 

SB403 has taken its first toll. 

Milind arrived in Cupertino, CA on July 18 to speak at the City Council meeting against SB403. Throughout the day, he participated in various meetings and the City Council hearing, displaying the true spirit of a warrior.

He fought passionately for his cause, showing the strength of character and dedication needed to take on deeply entrenched and diabolic forces arrayed against Hindus. Tragically, he collapsed moments after the hearing, leaving his family and a large network of friends and acquaintances shocked and bereft.

Milind's journey began in Mumbai where he did his early schooling and went to college. He later pursued his dreams by traveling to the US in search of both a higher education degree and a career where he could make an impact. And he did.

Milind made significant contributions to the high-tech sector as a Technical Program Manager at a Fortune 500 company in Silicon Valley. Beyond his professional achievements, he was an active community member, passionate about learning and teaching Hindu precepts and principles to children. Volunteering with Sewa International for a decade, he found purpose and guidance. 

As a Sewa volunteer, Milind visited Tamil Nadu in 2015 to witness and participate in relief work as massive floods hit the state. He went to a government school in Perambur, where Sewa had organized a medical camp and helped children get medical checkups.

When floods ravaged Mumbai, his hometown, and multiple other disasters caused havoc worldwide, Sewa International stepped in to help. Milind supported these efforts by raising funds from friends and colleagues.

He regularly volunteered at the California Bay Area Sewa International Chapter, actively participating in various service activities and fundraising events.

Milind contributed to several Sewa International projects.

When a massive earthquake struck Nepal, he worked tirelessly to get people to donate to the relief efforts.

Thanks to Milind's work, the Sewa team won a grant from PayPal. He also ensured Sewa participated in the PayPal Opportunity Hackathon to build a mobile app to match volunteers to service needs. 

During the Kerala floods of 2021, Milind worked hard to raise money. When wildfire gutted homes and forests in California in 2020, Milind was at the forefront, assembling volunteers to arrange relief activities for evacuees, firefighters, and first responders.

Many Sewa volunteers remember his tireless efforts to provide food, heaters, warmers, and blankets to firefighters battling destructive wildfires in California's Paradise Camp fire (2018) and Kinkade fire (2019) incidents. 

Milind Makwana came from a humble background. He was a proud Dalit.

Growing up in Mumbai, he had two setbacks when he was in college.

In the third year of engineering college, his father had to deal with several customers breaching their contracts, leading to a substantial debt burden on the family.

During this challenging time, he and his family had support from neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. Milind graduated from college, being the first in his community to earn an engineering degree and make his way to the United States. The aspiration was to secure a well-paying job that would help him pay off his family's debts.

In an article in American Kahani, Milind, in response to the coordinated calumny against Hindus, boldly wrote that he had never been discriminated against in India or America because of his caste:

Milind wrote in response to the numerous legislative efforts to introduce "caste" as a category of discrimination in the US. In response to the action by the City Council of Seattle, he said they wanted to ignore voices like his. He wrote, "Part of the reason is that my story does not fit neatly into the stereotypes Americans at large are inundated with. That story wants to tell a story of division and widespread oppression; a story which deliberately distorts and demonizes Hinduism's teachings and traditions and then claims that my religion is not a safe space for Dalits." 

In a consequential step, the Assembly Judiciary Committee of California recently conducted a hearing for Senate Bill 403 (SB403), which ostensibly seeks to prohibit "caste discrimination” in the US. Indian Americans are the second-largest immigrant group in the US. Many fear that codifying caste in public policy would further fuel Hinduphobia in the US.

A few weeks before his death, Milind fervently advocated against SB403 at Sacramento City Hall. His determination to fight for what he believed in made a lasting impact on those around him.

Milind also wrote for children. In his unique short poem book, A Day in the Life of a Hindu Kid, he introduced Hindu mantras to children through the daily lives of two American-born Hindus. The book features Sanskrit and English versions of well-known and popular Hindu mantras, with meanings, rhyming words, and beautiful illustrations.

His latest book, Grit, Gratitude, and Mira, is a biography of Olympian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, "a fighter”.

Milind was a fighter to his last breath. He was just 44 years old and had so much more to give to the world. He was a loving father, survived by his wife, Purvi, and two children, a 14-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son.

In honour of his remarkable journey as a social worker, community organizer, author, and speaker, the Hindu community initiated a fundraiser. 

Arun Kankani, President of Sewa International, mourning the loss of Makwana, said, "Milind's loss is a great shock to all, and a much sadder part of it is that God has taken away such a gem of a karyakarta so early. As we remember his life, let us also reflect on the importance of caring for our well-being. This tragic incident serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life. I urge everyone to prioritize their health. As we grieve, let us keep Milind's noble soul in our thoughts and prayers, hoping that he attains moksha."