{"id":18869,"date":"2026-05-18T01:10:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T00:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/au\/?p=18869"},"modified":"2026-05-18T03:40:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T02:40:39","slug":"sandeeps-journey-of-belonging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/au\/news\/sandeeps-journey-of-belonging\/","title":{"rendered":"From Delhi to Sydney: Sandeep\u2019s Story of Belonging"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For the first few months after arriving in Australia in 2007, Sandeep Chhikara would stand at a public payphone every day with a calling card in his hand, waiting to hear his mother\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

He was 24, the first time he was away from home, and some 10,000+ km away from his close-knit family.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first Mum told me not to call so often because she thought the calls were far too expensive,\u201d Sandeep says with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I did what I was told and waited ten days before the next call. She was beside herself with worry and said, \u2018No Sandeep. Call me every two days, even for five minutes, so I know you are ok.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally from Delhi, he had completed his undergraduate degree in India before a friend encouraged him to consider studying for a Master\u2019s degree in human resources in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one in my family or even my relatives had really moved away from where they were born,\u201d he says. \u201cThere wasn\u2019t a roadmap for me, so I was pretty unsure whether that was the path I wanted.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friend kept telling me about Australia. He told me it would be challenging, but exciting too. There would be opportunities for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, Sandeep took a chance.<\/p>\n

What began as a move for study slowly became something much bigger: a new life, new routines, new friendships and eventually, a family of his own.<\/p>\n

During a trip home for a friend\u2019s wedding, Sandeep met the woman he describes as the love of his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d been talking before I travelled back to India, but once we met in person, everything fell into place very quickly,\u201d he smiles. \u201cWe were married and back living in Australia a month later!\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Sandeep and his wife (along with their five-year-old son) call Sydney home. On weekends, family life revolves around swimming lessons, football and finding time to get outdoors. He enjoys camping, riding his motorbike, and travelling across Australia and beyond, but these days, much of his energy goes into keeping up with a busy little boy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou realise pretty quickly you need to look after yourself if you want to keep up,\u201d he says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

That thinking has shaped other parts of his life, too. After years of putting exercise aside while balancing work and family, Sandeep made a conscious decision to focus more on his wellbeing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you feel better in yourself, everything else improves too,\u201d he says. \u201cYou sleep better, you think more clearly, and you have much more energy to give to others.\u201d<\/p>\n

That quiet, thoughtful approach is also what drew him to a career in human resources.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been someone who listens more than I talk,\u201d he says. \u201cI can stay calm under pressure, and I like understanding people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the years, his career has taken him across retail, public health and public transport before joining OCS Australia as HR Manager in 2017.<\/p>\n

Australia may now feel like home, but India still shapes daily life inside his own household. While English has become the young family\u2019s everyday language, Sandeep and his wife are teaching their son Hindi, so he grows up connected to both cultures.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important he understands where his family comes from,\u201d Sandeep says. \u201cThat\u2019s part of who he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sees similar connections across OCS, where colleagues come from many different backgrounds and experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you move countries, you never forget how important it is to feel welcomed,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s one of the good things about working in a diverse business. People support each other, respect each other and learn from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the young man who arrived in Australia alone nearly 20 years ago, that sense of belonging still means everything.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the first few months after arriving in Australia in 2007, Sandeep Chhikara would stand at a public payphone every day with a calling card in his hand, waiting to hear his mother\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n

He was 24, the first time he was away from home, and some 10,000+ km away from his close-knit family. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":10000026769,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[228,257],"country":[],"class_list":["post-18869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-type","tag-australia","tag-cultural-day"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Delhi to Sydney: Sandeep\u2019s Story of Belonging<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For the first few months after arriving in Australia in 2007, Sandeep would stand at a public payphone every day to hear his mother's voice.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/nz\/news\/what-customers-get-back-when-facilities-management-works-well\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Delhi to Sydney: Sandeep\u2019s Story of Belonging\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For the first few months after arriving in Australia in 2007, Sandeep would stand at a public payphone every day to hear his mother's voice.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/nz\/news\/what-customers-get-back-when-facilities-management-works-well\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OCS - 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