They were practically strangers on their wedding day. Forty-six years later, Deepak and Nandini Chopra have grown to complement each other and have created a beautiful relationship of enduring love, respect and commitment.
Written by Diane Krieger | Photographed by Michael Neveux
Deepak and Nandini hardly knew each other when they exchanged vows in an arranged marriage in 1978 in New Delhi, India. At the time, he was a 28-year-old engineer living in Redondo Beach and working for TRW. She was a young woman filled with curiosity and excitement about her future life in America. She liked dogs and knew Deepak had two golden retrievers.
The match had been proposed by an aunt who’d known Deepak when he was an undergraduate at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh. The bride’s father, Madan Syal, was also an engineer and in the process of moving his family to Houston, where he’d started a new job with Exxon after Burmah Shell oil company was nationalized in India.
Madan traveled to California to meet his daughter’s potential suitor, staying for a week as a guest in Deepak’s Redondo Beach house. “My father wrote me this beautiful, detailed letter all about him,” recalls Nandini, who was then living with her mother and grandmother in New Delhi. “He described Deepak’s personality, his way of life, even what he had in his fridge!”
The two men developed an easy relationship. They exchanged ideas about the field of engineering. After the trip, Madan gave his seal of approval to the match, calling his future son-in-law “a diamond in the rough” whom Nandini could “polish up.”
“But 46 years later, I think I’m the one who needs polishing,” Nandini says, smiling warmly.
A Diamond in the Rough
There’s nothing rough about Nandini or her elegant Palos Verdes home. As for her husband, the rough diamond has exceeded Madan’s fondest hopes.
Today, Deepak, 73, is president, chairman and CEO of OSI Systems, a manufacturer of security systems and inspection technology used at airports and border crossings to scan bags, checked luggage and commercial cargo. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, the publicly traded company and its subsidiaries employ 7,000 workers in 10 factories worldwide. OSI’s top customers are the U.S. government and various international organizations.
Rapiscan, the security products division of OSI, provided scanning equipment, training and services at the recent Paris Olympics. Its equipment and services were previously used at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Deepak founded OSI Systems in 1987 and has served as president, CEO and board chair for more than 35 years. In addition to airport security technology, OSI develops optoelectronics and medical, cardiology and patient-monitoring systems. Deepak took the company public on NASDAQ in 1997.
From Chandigarh to California
Born in Kangra in 1950, Deepak grew up all over North India. His physician father was a director in the national health ministry, and government postings took the family to cities and towns across Punjab and Haryana.
Deepak attended 11 different schools as a child, but he considered Chandigarh, where he received his undergraduate education, the closest thing to home. The city, he notes with pride, was designed by Swiss-French architect and urban planner Le Corbusier and is famous for its mid-century modern architecture.
After graduating from college with a bachelor of science degree in engineering from India, Deepak continued his studies at UMass Amherst, where he earned a master’s degree in semiconductor electronics.
He began his career at RCA’s semiconductor division in New Jersey and briefly worked for TRW and Intel Corporation in California before joining ILC Technology, where he became CEO. There were bumps along the way, and things could have turned out much differently.
In 1987, Deepak briefly quit engineering altogether and seriously considered opening a Del Taco franchise. Nandini firmly put a stop to that idea and saved the day by encouraging him to launch a tech company instead.
A Three-Day Courtship
When Nandini first saw her bridegroom—at her grandmother’s house in New Delhi—she agreed with her father’s initial assessment. A diamond in the rough. Widely considered a great beauty, she responded to Deepak’s efforts at conversation with cool monosyllables.
“Was there perhaps some other young man she liked?” Deepak nervously asked Nandini’s mother, Mohini.
“Give her time,” his future mother-in-law replied. “Once she starts talking, she will never stop.”
Deepak persevered, and after a three-day courtship—in the presence of Nandini’s mother and grandmother—he asked for her hand in marriage. True to form, she responded with a single word: “Yes.”
After a weeklong traditional wedding in New Delhi, Nandini joined Deepak to start their new life in California. Deepak had fallen in love with the South Bay in 1974 when his boss at RCA sent him to a November conference in Redondo Beach. Dazzled by “the weather, the beaches, the hibachi burgers,” Deepak impulsively quit his job and started apartment hunting. Within two weeks, he landed a job at TRW.
Four years later, he couldn’t wait to introduce his bride to this earthly paradise. She, too, was enchanted. “I loved the relaxed lifestyle and found it very welcoming and easy to settle into,” says Nandini.
She went to work in production control at Teledyne and SiliconX, but once their daughters came along—Chandini in 1980 and Deepika in 1983—Nandini devoted herself full time to raising them. She threw herself into leadership roles with their school PTAs and Las Madrecitas, a charitable organization benefiting the Orthopaedic Institute for Children. She later owned and managed a car rental franchise for 13 years and ran an American-style coffee shop with her mother, Mohini, in San Pedro.
Nandini had received a classical education in Mumbai, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology and also volunteering her time in various charitable organizations. While in college, she had occasionally modeled for fashion photographers “just for fun” and had appeared on a few Indian magazine covers. Years later, at age 39, she represented India in the Mrs. World pageant held in Costa Rica. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime memorable experience,” she says.
Next-Gen
The Chopra daughters inherited Nandini’s poise, intelligence and beauty. And like their mother, both had traditional multiday Indian weddings, though neither match was arranged by their parents.
Chandini’s marriage in 2007 to Romal Sood from India was an elegant, traditional ceremony held at home—honoring their family’s customs and heritage. Afterwards, hundreds of guests gathered at the iconic Beverly Hilton for a grand reception.
Chandini, who studied psychology at LMU, and Romal live in Redondo Beach and run an internet-based business. They share a passion for travel, and as ardent Lakers fans, they enjoy immersing themselves in sports and other entertainment events.
Deepika’s marriage in 2015 wedding was particularly memorable. Described as a “big fat Hind-Jew wedding,” the 900-guest affair was held at Terranea Resort. A traditional Hindu ceremony under the mandap was followed by Jewish blessings under a chuppah.
Deepika is a behavioral scientist specializing in the science behind optimism. A UCLA graduate, she earned her PhD at the California School of Professional Psychology and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA. Widely known as the Optimism Doctor, she consults for brands and Fortune 100 companies, gives keynote speeches across the country, and appears frequently on the Today show and in the pages of Forbes, Newsweek, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
Her husband, Alex Silverman, is a global gaming and entertainment executive and investor originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, who studied economics at Brown University before getting his MBA at UCLA. Together they have given the Chopras three grandchildren: Jag, 7, Dio, 3, and baby Jia, 9 months.
Answered Prayers
After 46 years of marriage, Deepak and Nandini know how lucky they are. They mindfully count their blessings every night. As practicing Hindus, religion plays an important role in their lives. The Chopras have a “pooja room,” or private temple, where they pray daily for family and friends.
The Chopras consider themselves blessed to belong to the South Bay community of family and friends and the larger Indian community across Los Angeles. Nandini’s parents, who have lived in places like Libya and Venezuela, now live close by in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Deepak’s mother, Sheil Chopra, lives in Chandigarh, India. His father, Roshan Chopra, passed away in 2012 at age 92.
Winding Down
These days, Deepak is dialing back his busy work schedule. In December he will step down as OSI Systems president and CEO, though he will stay on as executive chairman of the board. He also continues to serve on the LA Business Council and national CEO business relationship forums for U.S.-India and U.S.-Africa ties.
At 73 he looks forward to indulging his many hobbies and interests. Topping the list is collecting art, especially works by Indian artists. The walls of the Chopra home display many prints and paintings dating from the colonial era up to the present day.
Deepak feeds his engineer’s irrepressible urge to tinker by assembling miniature model cars and trains. Suspended from the ceiling of the garage of his home is a serpentine railway system complete with bridges and tunnels. At the flip of a switch, engines and railcars roll into motion on the overhead tracks.
Deepak is also a collector of vintage automobiles. An avid Sunday driver, he loves to cruise the winding roads of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in a vintage model, such as the 1921 Rolls-Royce Phantom I, or a sleek 1970s Ferrari or a classic 1960s Corvette.
Once an aggressive tennis player, nowadays Deepak redirects his energies to games of pickleball. A longtime “social golfer,” he hopes to improve his game in retirement. For vacations, he and Nandini go to different European destinations every year.
Deepak loves all kinds and genres of music, but his favorite recording artists are Western pop icons Michael Jackson, Madonna and Donna Summer. He and Nandini like to watch Bollywood films when they have an evening free—which isn’t very often. They’re part of L.A.’s lively Indian community, he explains, “and it’s always somebody’s birthday or the wedding of someone’s son or daughter. Something is always happening.”
And just as his mother-in-law assured Deepak during their brief courtship, Nandini is neither shy nor monosyllabic. “My wife has a very active social life,” he says, eyes twinkling, “and I need to follow.”
Patron of Innovation
The Chopras are longtime Patrons of Torrance Memorial and have been generous supporters. “Both of our children were born at Torrance Memorial,” Deepak says, explaining the family’s original connection to the hospital. Nandini’s parents, Madan and Mohini Syal, are also Patrons.
With the passage of time, he and Nandini have come to appreciate the great privilege of having a first-rate medical center in their backyard. “In my opinion, if you live in the South Bay, you better know about this place,” Deepak says, noting the hospital’s overall excellence—especially since it affiliated with Cedars-Sinai.
Deepak’s philanthropy extends to City of Hope, UCLA and other charities where he funds research into new cancer therapies. “I’m a very big supporter of technology and innovation, especially in the medical and security arena,” he says. “Innovation is in my blood.”
