SURAT: When Chandra Mouli ‘Bob’ Nagamallaiah, 50, migrated to the US from Bengaluru in 2020, he had dreamed of better opportunities for his family and hoped to run his own hotel with his son Gaurav one day. His brutal murder — in front of his wife and son — on Sep 10 at the motel he was managing in Dallas shocked the world.However, the killing will not mean an end to his dream about a bright future for his son. Young men of the Gujarati community, who own a large number of motels in the US, have come forward in support. They began a drive online for donations and over $431,000 has been collected so far from all over the world. The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) Charitable Foundation also came forward to fund the education of Bob’s son.Those who knew Bob and his family began to raise funds online through GoFundMe. “They lost their breadwinner, and his son just got out of high school. The least we can do is start this initiative. We are glad that people are supporting from all over the world,” said Tanmay Patel, who began the drive. The motel, Downtown Suites Dallas, is owned by Patel’s relatives, and he knew Bob, who managed the property.“I was a board member in AAHOA, and Bob being in the business, we wanted to make sure his family is not alone,” said Tanmay. When Tanmay first approached Bob’s family, they refused the aid, but thinking of the family’s future, he planned to start the fund.“We initially planned to raise $50,000 but the response we got was massive. We could not believe it initially, but we are thankful to all contributors who stood with the family,” said Neal Patel, Tanmay’s cousin.Chairman of the AAHOA Charitable Foundation, Neal, added, “Our association represents nearly 20,000 hoteliers across the US. Through this network, we are encouraging our members and partners to come together in support of this family during this very difficult time.” The AAHOA Charitable Foundation is to provide a study scholarship to Gaurav, who also wants to get into hospitality.The parents Neal and Tanmay had migrated to the US from Surat district and set up their businesses in hospitality. According to Bob’s family, his goal was not just to seek better business opportunities but to create a brighter future with better education for his beloved son, Gaurav. Like many who come here chasing the American dream, Bob carried not only his own hopes but also the dreams of his family. He began by managing a motel in San Antonio, and within a year, he moved to Dallas in pursuit of an even greater opportunity.“Chandra’s dream was to build something lasting in the hospitality industry. He wanted to one day own his own hotel and create an organization that his son could take over and grow. He often talked about slowly investing in land, little by little, as a way to build security for his family. Gaurav has said he wants to honour his father’s memory by following in his footsteps, building a career in hospitality, and working hard to achieve the success his dad envisioned,” the family said in a statement.