Celebrating Canton Seniors: Chitra

May is Older Americans Month, a time to acknowledge the lives and contributions of seniors around the United States. The library is proud to present biographies of several Canton seniors this month. Stop by our website each week in May to learn more about these fantastic Canton residents.

Canton resident Chitra has a lifetime of global knowledge to share. Born in Calcutta, India, Chitra received a master’s degree in English literature and taught at an elite missionary school, preparing students for their A-Level examinations. In 1977, her husband was accepted as a Ph.D. student at the University of Cincinnati, and they immigrated to the United States that year. In Ohio, Chitra would watch shows such as Welcome Back Kotter and decided that teaching in the United States was not for her, so she looked for a new career. 

After getting a job at the Cincinnati Public Library system and deciding to begin studying for her library degree, Chitra received a grant from the library to pay for tuition. She was busy working and raising her daughters when her husband was transferred to Michigan in 1996. She started working for the Canton Public Library and received a scholarship to attend Wayne State University to continue studying for her degree. Chitra graduated in 1999 and worked as a librarian at the Canton Public Library until retiring in 2014. The library was lucky to have her come back to work as a substitute librarian. 

Chitra has been married to her husband for over 45 years and has two daughters, both successfully working as a nephrologist and an engineer, as well as two beloved granddaughters, aged 6 and 8. She has traveled all over the world and has seen every continent except Australia, which she still hopes to visit someday. Chitra has many hobbies, including cooking, collecting cookbooks and trying new recipes. She has generously contributed her culinary talents to a staff Diwali lunch at the Canton Public Library for many years. She also picked a penchant for gardening from her talented husband. You can often find Chitra taking classes at the Summit as well.