From Punjab to the American Dream: Shudh Parkash Singh Builds a Business Empire Through Hard Work and Risk-Taking

From arriving in America to help save his brother’s life to building businesses in real estate, hospitality and retail, the Indian-American entrepreneur, Shudh Parkash Singh, says success comes from hard work, family support and the courage to take risks.

By Deepak Arora

NEW YORK, Oct 13: Shudh Parkash Singh’s journey from Abohar, a town in Punjab, to the United States began with a family crisis, not a business plan. He came to America nearly four decades ago to seek life-saving treatment for his elder brother. He eventually stayed, took a low-paying job, drove a gypsy cab and entered the gas station business with his brothers.

Today, he is the founder and president of J Group, with interests in commercial real estate, hospitality, retail and restaurants.

Shudh Parkash Singh’s story is one of perseverance, family commitment and an ability to recognise opportunities where others saw uncertainty. From transforming a struggling gas station into a successful business to developing a popular Indian shopping center at Hicksville in Long Island, Singh has built his career by taking calculated risks and turning ideas into action.

His message to young people is equally direct: dream big, work hard and do not wait for the perfect moment to begin.

A journey that began with a family emergency

An engineering graduate from Chandigarh, Singh initially hoped to enter the film and entertainment industry in Bombay, now Mumbai. But his plans changed when his eldest brother, Sukhchain Singh, who had a congenital heart condition, began experiencing serious complications.

Determined to find the best possible treatment, Singh and another brother, Budh Parkash Singh, began the difficult process of arranging medical care in the United States.

“I wanted to take him to the best place on earth,” Singh recalled.

In the mid-1980s, arranging overseas treatment meant dealing with extensive paperwork, government offices, visa requirements and restrictions on taking foreign currency out of India. The family needed to establish that treatment was available in America and find a way to meet the costs.

A breakthrough came when the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, agreed to treat Sukhchain Singh without charge, according to Singh’s account. The assistance eased the financial burden and made the journey possible.

For Singh, it was his first flight and his first experience of America.

After reaching the United States, he accompanied his brother to the hospital and spent about a month sleeping on chairs and in waiting areas to remain close to him. The surgery proved more complicated than expected. Doctors discovered additional problems and had to replace a heart valve and perform further procedures.

His brother eventually recovered, bringing enormous relief to the family.

The medical emergency had brought Singh to America, but the experience also opened an unexpected path for his own future.

From a $2-an-hour job to business

After his brother recovered, Singh travelled to New York to meet friends and relatives. Conversations with people he encountered in Queens persuaded him that America offered opportunities to those prepared to work hard.

He decided to stay rather than return to India.

The early months were difficult. He had limited money, no work permit and no clear career path. His first job was at a Manhattan wholesale business dealing in costume jewellery, where he earned just $2 an hour.

Although the pay was disappointing, he accepted the job because he needed an income. His employers soon recognised his abilities and raised his wages, but Singh wanted to improve his prospects further.

Friends suggested that driving a taxi could provide a better income. He asked his family in India to send money to buy a car and began driving a so-called gypsy cab while working to resolve his immigration status.

He eventually obtained a green card and later became an American citizen. He said he delayed taking US citizenship for nearly 30 years because of his attachment to India and his reluctance to give up his Indian citizenship. Travel difficulties and repeated visa requirements eventually influenced his decision.

Within four years of arriving in America, Singh had bought his first home on Long Island. He also helped bring other family members to the United States. For years, several generations lived together under one roof, with his brothers and their families sharing a home and his parents visiting from India.

Family support remained central to his life as he began building a business.

A struggling gas station becomes a turning point

Shudh Parkash Singh’s first major business venture came when he and his two elder brothers bought a gas station that had been struggling under its previous operator, Amoco, now part of BP. The family invested about $100,000 in the property, which included a large plot of land, despite having little experience in the business.

Instead of accepting its poor performance, the brothers looked for ways to improve operations and use the property more productively.

Within a year, they doubled the station’s sales volume, converted an unused rest area into a store and opened a used-car dealership nearby. The transformation impressed the company, which began offering them opportunities to take over other gas stations.

The experience taught Singh that an underperforming business could have considerable untapped value if managed well.

Shudh Parkash Singh later shifted towards real estate, believing it offered greater potential than the relatively narrow margins of fuel retailing. He recalled selling an early property for $3 million after buying it for $1.2 million. The transaction strengthened his conviction that property investment could provide opportunities for long-term growth.

That decision helped shape his subsequent career. J Group developed interests in commercial real estate and hospitality, alongside retail operations that include gas stations in Manhattan and Long Island, as well as restaurants.

Shudh Parkash Singh also said his company signed an exclusive master licensing agreement with the Lamborghini family covering 19 countries in Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The arrangement is intended to enable the use of the brand in hotels and apartment buildings in the region.

Betting on an Indian shopping center

One of Singh’s most ambitious projects was developing an Indian shopping center in Hicksville, Long Island. The idea was to bring grocery stores, clothing outlets, jewellery shops and other Indian businesses together under one roof, with ample parking for customers.

Some people questioned whether the local Indian population was large enough to support the venture. The challenge intensified during the 2008 financial crisis, when banks became reluctant to finance new construction.

Shudh Parkash Singh pressed ahead. He sold other properties, invested his own money and borrowed from friends to keep the project moving. He also persuaded prospective retailers to commit before construction was complete, using their deposits and advance payments to help finance the development.

The strategy paid off. According to Singh, the center attracted strong demand and occupancy remained close to full. With available retail space unable to meet demand, an expansion is now being planned.

The project demonstrated his willingness to back an idea even when others were doubtful. It also created a destination where Indian-American families could find familiar products and services while giving retailers access to a concentrated customer base.

Giving back to the community

Shudh Parkash Singh’s ambitions extend beyond business. He credits his parents with instilling in him the belief that success carries a responsibility to help those in need.

The family’s charitable activities are carried out through the Kundan & Santosh Jasuja Foundation, named after his parents and supported personally by the family.

In the United States, the foundation has helped homeless people through food and clothing donations. In India, its work has included scholarships, medical services for low-income patients and support for community facilities.

Singh has also served as the first chairman of the Indian-American Business Council established by Nassau County government. He has been active in Indian-American public life and said he stepped away from political activities after handing over the leadership of the Indian Overseas Congress in the United States to his successor.

His charitable work reflects the continuing connection between his life in America and his roots in India.

His advice to young people: Take the plunge

Shudh Parkash Singh believes young people should not allow fear, uncertainty or political divisions to discourage them from pursuing their ambitions. He argues that America continues to offer opportunities to those prepared to work hard and take responsibility for their futures.

His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to move beyond ideas and take practical steps towards achieving their goals.

“Dream big and make it go, all through work,” he says.

He acknowledges that building a business can require long hours, financial sacrifices and the willingness to accept uncertainty. In the early stages, he says, entrepreneurs may have to work 12 to 16 hours a day to establish themselves.

“You can’t swim unless you plunge into the water,” he says.

The words reflect his own experience. He arrived in America to help save his brother, took whatever work he could find and gradually moved into business. He and his brothers invested in a struggling gas station, learned how to improve its performance and used that experience as a stepping stone into real estate.

His career also shows the importance of recognising when a new direction offers greater promise. Singh moved from engineering and an early interest in filmmaking into retail, property and hospitality, learning as he went.

Today, his journey brings together the central themes of the Indian-American experience: migration, family solidarity, entrepreneurship, cultural ties and a commitment to giving back.

For young people, his message is simple. Ambition alone is not enough. Success requires sustained effort, independent thinking and the courage to act when an opportunity presents itself.

A family emergency brought Singh to America. Hard work, family support and a willingness to take risks helped him build a business career there. His advice to the next generation is to dream ambitiously, put in the work and have the courage to take the plunge.

Shudh Parkash Singh lives in Long Island, New York, with his wife and three children.