A man from Odisha who had gone to the U.S. 20 years ago with just $50 in his pocket to seek a better life for himself and his family is a Democratic Party candidate for Georgia state Senate elections .
Georgia-based Bikram Kumar Mohanty is in the race for the second time for the 8th District State Senate seat. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2012 election from the same party. Mohanty is an occupational therapist.
A native of Chandabali in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, he had migrated to U.S. after completing his graduation from Kolkata-based National Institute of Orthopedics in 1994 and settled in Valdosta, Georgia. He worked in several hospitals and nursing homes across Georgia until 2001, when he opened up his own occupational therapy practice.
“When I landed in Valdosta, I had only $50 on my person and can proudly report that in the past decade as the founder and CEO of Innovative Rehab Solutions, I’ve generated between 15-45 full time jobs and have held these jobs with the mindset of reconciliation along with the spirit of achieving the American dream while helping others to do the same,” Mohanty says on his website.