Who says Las Vegas is known only as Sin City? America’s Neon City is also a Disneyland of fun and entertainment for senior citizens, even from India. That’s what Amit Kashyap, an Indian techie in the US, proved by taking his visiting parents to Las Vegas this year. Usually, elderly Indians from the middle-class households hit pilgrimage trails. Unlike them, Amit’s parents from Mathura, the land of Shri Krishna, have basked in the luxuries of Las Vegas, the beaches of Miami, the skyline of New York City, the beauty of Niagara Falls…
All because of Amit Kashyap, a modern-day Sravan Kumar, living in Dallas, Texas. He does not measure true success by materialistic possessions, like cars and mansions. Rather, he believes, “It’s seeing your parents smile at places they once saw only in pictures.” Amit grew up seeing his parents having lived a very humble life, given up their desires, made sacrifices…so he could do higher studies and build a promising career.
“They gave up their dreams so I could chase mine. Today, I’m taking them to the city of dreams.” This is the premise of Amit Kashyap’s Instagram reels that show his elderly parents walking, wondering, gazing, laughing, breathing… freely in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world. He describes their life and experience in the US as a celebration of their small desires, sleepless nights, financial strains, and quiet tears shed in silence. Their US tour videos not just went viral but won hearts too.
Amit celebrates his journey from India to America not only as his own; it is theirs too. It was his heartfelt wish to give them a dream vacation from the south coast to the east coast US, as he said, “They never stepped out of their small hometown. But they raised a son who dared to dream big.” He brought them to America to show them what their struggle for years has resulted in. He describes his career milestones as hard-earned victories that they share together today.
“It is heartening to see overseas Indians acknowledging their parents’ contributions and expressing gratitude to them. Even some Indian professionals in the US go extra mile to book business class flight tickets for their visiting parents, ensuring the latter’s comfort during a long-haul journey. Indeed, parents in small Indian towns like Amit Kashyap’s nourish the seeds of their children’s career for a prosperous life from early on,” said Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor at IndianEagle.com.
Life in Texas has been a defining chapter for Amit. His thriving career in the American tech sector has enabled him to own a home in Dallas, where he wishes his aging parents to live with him. Stories like Amit’s resonate strongly with Indians worldwide. Not long ago, an Indian software professional made her parents proud during a tour of her workplace at Microsoft headquarters in the US. These stories build up one powerful fact—Success feels complete only when parents are celebrated.
The impact of Amit’s video could be seen in the reactions it received. One user commented, “This is success and won’t need redefinition. Did the same with my parents.” Another wrote, “My father always wanted to visit Hollywood, LA. I never got an opportunity to move to the US back then. But when I finally got and moved here, he’s no more. Parents are the most valuable things God gives us, try to be the reason for their happiness.” Messages poured in celebrating Amit as a son who had not forgotten his parents’ sacrifices.
