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When Raghwa Gopal graduated from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji in 1977 with a degree in computer science hardly anyone knew what computers were.
Taking a course that few recognized was one of Gopal's first courageous moves.
The next would be relocating to Kelowna in 1978 to join Vadim Software, the city's first high-tech company, which made financial and billing software for municipalities.
Gopal's brother already lived in Kelowna at the time and was working at RV manufacturer Vanguard.
This is the basis of Gopal's story, one of five by Canada's top immigrants, in a new book called The Courageous Move.
The multi-authored book also features profiles of Mara Aalipour of Iran, now a branding coach and strategist in Toronto; Javier Badillo of Venezuela, who's a Vancouver-based filmmaker; Devina Kaur of India, who lives in Montreal and oversees the empowerment Sexy Brilliant Global Revolution; and Azita Ziaei, a Toronto photographer originally from Iran.
The Courageous Move, published by Northstar Success, will be released at Friday's virtual Northstar Success Immigrant Professional Development Conference.
Gopal will be a guest speaker at the conference.
"My hope is that my story inspires other immigrants to work hard and chase their ambitions," he said.
Gopal helped build Vadim Software into a powerhouse in its field over 28 years before selling it and retiring in 2006.
Retirement didn't last long.
He invested in Vineyard Networks, a Kelowna-based Internet security firm that sold in 2013 to California's Procera for US$28 million, and Kelowna's Just Be Friends app which counts NHL, NFL and NBA teams among its clients.
He became CEO of high-tech support group Accelerate Okanagan and was a entrepreneur-in-residence at Okanagan College.
Gopal won 2016 Kelowna Man of the Year, a BC Community Achievement Award and Royal Bank Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award.
Gopal now lives in Vancouver where he's CEO of Innovate BC, the organization that connects companies with funding, resources and support.
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