Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)

COLUMBUS, OHIO, June 6, 2003: At times Dr. Raj Tripathi seems as much a fixture at Powell’s Hindu temple as are the majestic statues that give the building its identity. And yet he is at or near the Bharatiya Temple only part of the week. The rest of the time, he’s 90 miles to the east, working as a cardiologist. His presence is felt not only in his profession but also in many civic organizations in both communities. “He’s certainly been a legend in this area,” said Dale H. Hileman, trustee and past board president at Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. Tripathi, a native of Mumbai, India, has been a trustee at the temple since 1989 and chairman since 1995. Tripathi’s main duty at the temple is fund-raising. “We had $20,000 to start with in 1992; this temple now is worth $1 million-plus,” he said. Tripathi takes great pride in the annual youth camp, which will be conducted for the sixth time Aug. 10-16 on the temple’s 25 acres along Hyatts Road. When Tripathi and his wife, Prabha, first began attending the temple, they made the 180-mile round trip at least every weekend, staying in motels, which was not always easy with three young children. Special occasions often mean taking a day off work, but anything Tripathi can do for the temple makes the trip worthwhile, he believes. “God has been good to me; it’s good to pay back.”