Jasmine Sandlas says dad gave up high-profile India job for a life of poverty in US, mother worked as mazdoor

Singer Jasmine Sandlas, who is currently ruling the charts with her “Jaiye Sajana” in Dhurandhar 2, recently spoke about her teenage years and how her father, who had a well-respected job in India, quit everything and took his family to the US to build a safe life for them.

Speaking to Ranveer Allahbadia, Jasmine shared that she was in 8th or 9th standard when she landed in America from Punjab, and she didn’t even know English at the time. She said, “We landed in New York. I didn’t speak English. Whatever was the local school, my father got us admitted there. We used to live in one-bedroom apartment which was a low income home, and we were 6 people.”

She added, “My father worked in India in a powerful position and he was a law school valedictorian. But when you go to America, you need to study for 3–4 years or get a job. So my father sacrificed his whole life for us. He left the high paying, well-respected job in India to give me and my siblings a better life in America. I think his first job in America was at a gas station, he was pumping gas. I remember his sitting him in the snow and he had no shoes on, and when I asked him about the same, he told me that snow shoes are very expensive.”

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Not just Jasmine’s father, her mother also did menial jobs in America. “Since we used to live in low income homes, we used to get food stamps. My mother also worked at a factory and picked cherries. She worked as a majdoor (labour) there. My father got into legal system again when we moved to California and he became an interpreter. Then money was good.”

Jasmine Sandlas first made headlines after her track Shararat, sung and written by her, went viral. She has crooned two songs in Dhurandhar 2 and lent her voice to two others, including “Main Aur Tu”, “Jaiye Sajana”, “Aari Aari”, and “Rang De Lal (Oye Oye)”.

DISCLAIMER: This narrative of migration and financial struggle is shared for informational purposes and reflects the author’s personal journey. While it discusses past economic hardship, it does not constitute financial or legal advice.

‘He pumped gas’: Jasmine Sandlas recalls dad giving up high-profile India job for a life of poverty in US

Singer Jasmine Sandlas recalled how her and her family struggled for a good life in America.