From Zanzibar To Cooperstown

Dr. and Mrs. J.K. Ramaiya and their family came to Cooperstown in the fall of 1980, and Dr. Ramaiya opened a private medical practice.

Dr. Ramaiya is a native of Zanzibar, Africa, son of an Indian merchant family.  His parents later moved to Bombay, India.

Dr. Ramaiya attended medical school in Glasgow, Scotland.  He practiced two years in the Zanzibar National Health Service, and then went back to Scotland for three years' training in surgery at the University of Edinburg.

From there he went to Saskatchewan, Canada, to enter medical practice.  While he was in Canada he took time to fly to Calcutta, India, to be married.  His parents and hers arranged the marriage.  Pushpa Ramaiya had never been out of India before, but she quickly adjusted to life on another continent.  A daughter, Dharmindra, was born while they lived in Canada.  On a visit back to India they invited Dr. Ramaiya's niece, Nootan, to join the household.  By that time they were living in Malta, Montana.  A son, Kamalesh, was born to them there.  At the time the Ramaiyas arrived in Cooperstown, Nootan was 15, Dharmindra 10 and Kamalesh was 15 months old.

Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial page 53