Just as Madan Kulkarni was realizing his professional dreams, he and his wife, Shebani, found themselves at the center of an unimaginable nightmare.
Their only child, Meghna, who had joined them in bringing their business vision to life, suddenly died.
“It’s very emotional for us,” said Kulkarni, looking over at a table where he and his 29-year-old daughter had enjoyed what turned out to be their last pizza together in February. “For the first few months we were just about existing, not living. My wife and I questioned why, what’s the point?”
Nine months later the emotions are still raw, but now Kulkarni plans to keep memories of his vivacious daughter alive as he prepares to open the doors to The Matrix Club in Naperville next month.
“She was never the CEO’s daughter; she was one of (the employees),” he said of Meghna, who died of an undiagnosed medical condition. “She breathes life into this, making her presence felt. I plan to keep her alive through this mission.
“As her father, I picked her up as soon as she was born. I changed her diapers. We always vacationed together as a family. This is a new normal for us. She’s left behind a lot of things for us to act upon. We feel she is with us even more now.”
The Kulkarnis have launched a charity in their daughter’s name, Mission Meghna. They’re aiming to work with local and international charities to support underserved children, young adults and women.
“I am open to every form of music and so was my daughter,” he said. “She was a tremendous companion. We wanted to open (The Matrix Club) with a global fashion show; she had a lot of ideas. Her dream was to hold a talent show here for the community featuring people aged 2 to 92. We will definitely be doing that in the future, making her vision and dream come true.”
Family has always been very important to the entrepreneur, who first came to the United States from India as an exchange student in 1984. He participated in a summer internship before returning three years later to work in marketing and edit the India Tribune in Chicago.
“All our shows will be family friendly,” he said of the entertainment being planned for the Route 59 business, which will be a restaurant, convention, banquet and performance venue when completed. “They will also include an educational element. I call it edutainment.”
Two components of the 15,860-square-foot project will open in December: a high-end restaurant that will include Meg’s Lounge and the Dhrishti Center, a 250-seat theater named for the family’s foundation in India.
Dhrishti is a yogic term meaning lingering vision. The foundation trains underprivileged students in classical Indian music, dance and wellness, aiming to bridge the gap between potential and performance.
“We believe that every individual comes with their own talent, and we want to unearth that and give them a platform,” Kulkarni said. “Music is important because it is a common language that doesn’t require a passport or a visa and breaches boundaries. It unites people with a common rhythm like a heartbeat.”
Kulkarni insists that it’s a misconception that some people assume the Matrix Club will only be a venue for large Indian weddings, although it will cater to them too.
“This is a platform for global cultures, for all who have settled here,” he said. “America is a melting pot. This is a venue for everyone. We already have six proms booked as well as some corporate events and concerts.
“We have multiple stages and we will do our own shows as well as leasing out to other promoters. We hope to have events from Greece, Mongolia, Poland, Latin America, South Asian and Europe. It’s truly going to be representative of our international community.”
Kulkarni is very pleased with how the club has been received by the city of Naperville, he said.
“When we first met their representatives, they were very excited, but also inquisitive about how we were going to pull this off. It’s been my dream for 15 to 20 years. I always felt in my life that it’s music, art and sport that brings people together,” the lifelong cricket lover said.
“When you are connected through music and art or sports, those bonds are longstanding and unadulterated. Today everybody is trying to outdo each other and take advantage. There’s a lot to be said about these bonds standing the test of time. Music unites, heals and excites us and when you want to shut it up, it doesn’t complain about it. It’s our most faithful companion.”
Despite Kulkarni’s obvious passion for his project, he had to be coaxed to participate in this interview.
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“I prefer to stay behind the scenes,” he said. “Others here can do justice to being in the spotlight. If you get up on stage, you have to accept both the bouquets and the brickbats and you should be confident enough to accept both. Who am I? I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t drink alcohol, so I have experts to handle that.”
He does, however, firmly believe that you get back from the universe what you put into it.
“I believe if you send out positive vibes, they will come back to you,” he said. “It’s about helping others, not just the commercial stuff.”
Hilary Decent is a freelance journalist who moved to Naperville from England in 2007.