The Inspiring Journey of
Drs. Asha and Naresh Parikh
It all started with a single dinner. In 1978, a young Dr. Asha Desai sat down to meet Dr. Naresh Parikh, a doctor from America who had returned to India to find a wife. Lined up with other potential brides in a traditional arranged marriage
setting, Dr. Asha felt a connection but worried about a simple detail. “I told my father, I like the boy, but I don’t think he’s going to say yes because he’s so tall and I’m so short!” she recalls with a laugh.
Her father left it to fate, and fate had a plan. Within one week, they were married. That swift, life-changing decision launched a partnership that has spanned over 45 years, building not just a family, but a legacy of healing and community
service that has touched countless lives from their home base in Atlanta.
From Ahmedabad to Atlanta: A Journey of Purpose
The couple moved to the United States, first settling in New Jersey. Dr. Asha, who had completed her medical degree in Ahmedabad, initially pursued psychiatry. However, she felt a deeper calling. “I decided I want to do real medicine,” she
explains. This powerful sense of purpose led her to switch her specialty to Internal Medicine. As a primary care doctor in Internal Medicine, Dr. Asha Parikh is often the first person patients see, managing their overall health and guiding
them through their healthcare journey.
Meanwhile, Dr. Naresh Parikh, a cardiologist who specializes in the heart and its vital functions, was completing his fellowship. After a brief time in Pennsylvania where their son Nirav was born (joining their daughter Mona), the family
made a pivotal decision. Tired of the cold weather, they looked south to a warmer climate and a new beginning: Atlanta. Starting over in 1986 wasn’t easy. “It was a little tough initially,” Dr. Asha admits. “We were thinking, was it a right
move to move here?” With two young children, they worked tirelessly to build their practices from the ground up. Dr. Naresh traveled across the region to build relationships with other doctors, while Dr. Asha juggled seeing patients with dropping off and picking up her kids from
school, with invaluable help from her in-laws who lived with them. Their hard work paid off, and their practices began to thrive.
Celebrating Community:
A Landmark Convention
This spirit of community was recently on full display at the third Gujarati Physicians’ Convention held in Atlanta, an event Dr. Asha proudly calls a “big success.” For her, the triumph wasn’t just about the large number of attendees. “It’s
about networking,” she shares passionately. “People were meeting friends they hadn’t seen in 25 or 30 years!” Everything from the “excellent” hotel venue that encouraged conversation to the delicious and authentic Gujarati food created a
warm, welcoming atmosphere. With a smile, Dr. Asha adds, “Gujarati people will not complain of too much food!”
What truly set the convention apart was the dedication to learning. Unlike many conferences where medical education sessions struggle for attendance, this one was different. “You have to literally force people to come in the hall at other
conventions,” she explains. “This time, it was packed! You had to find a seat.” By making the continuing medical education (CME) a central focus with excellent speakers, the event nourished both the social and professional spirits of every
doctor who attended, marking it as a resounding success.
Dr. Asha’s New Mission:
Putting Women’s Health First
After decades of caring for patients, Dr. Asha noticed a troubling pattern, especially among South Asian women. “They are like caretakers to the family,” she says with concern. “They will do everything for the family members, in-laws,
parents, kids. That’s their priority, and they have neglected themselves.”
This realization sparked a new passion: a Women’s Health Initiative aimed at empowering women to take control of their own well-being. She’s heard all the reasons-fear, lack of time, and the cultural pressure to remain silent about personal
struggles. “A lot of women go through husband- wife disputes, in-law and family disputes. They don’t say anything,” she explains. “It’s our culture. So they just build it up. It’s not healthy at all.”
Her mission is twofold: to encourage women to get regular preventive checkups for physical health issues like cancer, and to create a safe space for them to address their mental health. “Early diagnosis gives you a new life,” she insists.
“You have to at least speak to someone.”
Dr. Naresh stands firmly behind her vision. Through their Parikh Foundation, they plan to make healthcare more accessible. “We will provide subsidized services,” he states, outlining plans for free mammograms, heart screenings, and even
free transportation for the elderly.
From a marriage that began with a leap of faith to a lifetime dedicated to others, Drs. Asha and Naresh Parikh have shown what it means to heal with heart. Their message to the community, and especially to the women who hold it together, is
simple but profound: taking care of yourself isn’t selfishit’s the most important gift you can give to the ones you love.
The Heart of the Community
For the Parikhs, being a doctor was never just a job; it was a way to serve the community. They became deeply involved in organizations like the Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPI) and the American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), with both eventually serving as presidents of GAPI.
They were pioneers in community health, co-founding the free clinic at the BAPS temple in Clarkston. “We used to go there on Sunday,” Dr. Asha remembers. “If some doctor said, ‘Oh, I cannot make it,’ then Naresh and me would just fill in.
We were always available.” They offered screenings and complimentary tests at their own office for those who couldn’t afford them, building a reputation for compassion and generosity.
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