Bhavna Vasudeva believes in her community. As a licensed Realtor with a wide range of experience in both the public and private sectors, there’s one thing she’s discovered that always holds true: The client comes first.
“People are not numbers to me. I’m not trying to do high-volume sales,” she said. “My goal as a Realtor is to do what is best for my clients, which fosters long-term relationships. I have a passion for real estate and I know how to put my clients first.”
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Born in 1968 in New Delhi, India to Ujjal and Gurbir Maker, Bhavna and her family moved to Pennsylvania when she was 4 years old as her father’s civil engineering career took off.
As a little girl living in the Northeast, she saw first hand the entrepreneurial spirit.
“My Mom had a chain of beauty salons and a beauty school. My dad was self employed,” she said. “You just tend to gravitate toward things like that.”
A self-described “humanities person” who enjoys reading and writing, Bhavna majored in advertising and public relations — with a minor in marketing — and earned a bachelor of arts degree from the University of South Carolina. She and her husband Raj, a physician, have deep ties to USC, as he was a faculty member for 13 years before going into private practice in his field of gastroenterology.
In addition to being an alumni of USC, Bhavna has served on the boards of both the school’s Medical Women’s Group and the University Women’s Club, holding several positions to include president. She’s worked with USC’s specialty clinics, the Columbia Medical Society Auxiliary and served in the Junior League of Columbia and the Richland Memorial Foundation.
Bhavna and her husband Raj (married in 1992) have two sons: Armaan, who is studying biomedical engineering at USC; and Ishaan, a student at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School.
Bhavna and Raj, who have both spent many hours volunteering on fundraisers and committees, strongly believe in giving back to the community.
“Our family believes in service,” she said. “We are dedicated to our community. We believe our reputation and integrity are our bond. It is with that core philosophy that we conduct ourselves, whether in a social setting or in business. People come first to us -- we are a team as a family, as a couple, as professionals and as citizens of this wonderful state.”
That spirit of teamwork also pushed her to invest her time serving on the boards of the Red Cross, the S.C. Art Foundation, the Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Edventure Council, the S.C. Board of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, the Homeowner’s Association of Enclave Community, the Atrium Villa Association Board in Seabrook, the Comaxiam IT Solutions Board and the Palmetto Health Foundation Cancer Board.
Bhavna’s passion for trying to improve the community is an extension of her real estate career.
“Whether I’m helping with a fundraiser or relocating a new client and making them feel part of the community — it’s about bringing them into the fold and introducing them to people with the same interests,” she said. “Finding the right fit in the right neighborhood — it takes knowledge of our community and a good sense of what would be a good fit for somebody. It’s how people stay happy.”
Her faith in the market is evident, as she maintains a rental property portfolio with investments in Columbia and Charleston.
She’s had specialized training with luxury homes and is currently an agent with United Real Estate of Columbia. Bhavna is proud of the loyalty she has earned with a select group of clients.
CAROLINDIA (2013-2014)
Bhavna’s commitment to her state, education and her strong ties to her home country have been an integral facet of a unique initiative now taking shape at USC: CarolIndia.
This partnership between India and South Carolina is something near and dear to Bhavna, as she has been named as Co-Chair of this year-long celebration of India, slated for the academic year 2013-14. The idea, she said, is to showcase what the world’s largest democracy and a potent force in the global economy has to offer the Palmetto state, and how both India and South Carolina can work together in a mutually beneficial manner.
Bhavna said she saw the positive impact of strengthening ties to India when she helped arrange for Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao to visit the state in 2012.
Ambassador Rao met with members of the State Ports Authority and Mayor Joe Riley in Charleston, met with Gov. Nikki Haley — the state’s first Indian-American governor — and visited the Upstate to tour the BMW plant and see how Clemson University is focusing attention on the automotive engineering field.
“It was quite an honor,” Bhavna said of the visit. “The CarolIndia project was borne out of that.”
Furthering trade, creating more business opportunities and attracting more students from India are just one aspect of what the CarolIndia project hopes to achieve, she said.
BEYOND BOLLYWOOD (until July 9, 2017)
From the builders of some of America’s earliest railroads and farms to Civil Rights pioneers to digital technology entrepreneurs, Indian Americans have long been an inextricable part of American life. Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation explores the Indian American experience and the community’s vital political, professional, and cultural contributions to American life and history.
The exhibition moves past pop-culture stereotypes of Indian Americans to explore the heritage, daily experience, and diverse contributions of Indian immigrants and their descendants in the United States. Weaving together stories of individual achievement and collective struggle, Beyond Bollywood uses photography, narrative, multimedia, and interactive stations to tell a uniquely American story, while conveying the texture, vibrancy, and vitality of Indian American communities.
United Real Estate
1030 Wildewood Centre Drive
Columbia, South Carolina 29229
803.348.3268
BVasudeva@sc.rr.com
