Jania’s Summer of Sharks

​Jania’s Summer of Sharks

Jania overwhelmed with joy to soak in bright sun and surprisingly warm waters of San Francisco Bay.

As Harvinder and I landed back home after a hectic trip to India, in the San Francisco Bay Area on the evening of June 10, 2026, Geet and her dad Shiv were there at the airport to warmly welcome us. It felt wonderful to be home again.

Back at our home, only Shilpy was busy working on one of her office projects. Gobind had already returned to Boston shortly after attending Geet’s birthday, while Jania had gone back to her University, where she is spending the summer working as a research intern.

Yesterday, during early dinner in Merced, Jania had just returned from an exciting four-day, three-night field expedition. She enthusiastically shared stories of her adventure, and her excitement was contagious. The research team, led by her world famous professor Dr Sora Kim’s Sr Assistants, included graduate students and senior research assistants. At just 20 years old, Jania was the youngest member of the group.

Their mission involved studying sharks in the waters around the San Francisco Bay, including areas near the Golden Gate and Alcatraz. The team’s work included capturing sharks, carefully bringing them aboard, tagging them, collecting biological samples from their muscles, blood vessels, and gills, and sending those samples to laboratories for further analysis.

The whole research team performing the examinations while others help to keep water flowing through Sharks gills.

Jania described how the team worked together with remarkable focus and discipline. Some students carefully controlled the shark’s jaws while others held its body securely. Her own responsibility was to help keep water flowing through the shark’s gills so it could continue breathing while researchers performed their examinations. She even admitted, with a smile, that she briefly placed her hand near the shark’s mouth while assisting the team.

When I asked whether she had been frightened, she immediately replied, “No, Dadaji. Everyone had a job to do, and we all had to work together carefully. Safety depended on everyone doing their part.”

One of the sharks they handled weighed nearly 300 pounds. The team also encountered sharks that had previously been tagged, providing valuable information for ongoing research. Although they worked in different locations each day, many of the sharks belonged to the same species.

27 days Shark female baby being fed with water.

I was surprised that after spending days on the water under the California sun, she showed little sign of tanning. Laughing, she said, “Dadaji, I used your sunscreen!” Apparently, it worked very well.

By evening she was exhausted, often saying, “I’m so tired, I’m so tired.” Yet her voice remained full of enthusiasm and wonder as she recounted every detail of the expedition.

Listening to her stories filled Harvinder, Shiv, and me with immense pride and satisfaction. As immigrants who came to this country decades ago seeking opportunity, it is deeply gratifying to see the next generation pursuing experiences we could scarcely have imagined in our youth. Jania, a second-generation immigrant, is exploring the frontiers of marine science, combining adventure, research, and education in a way that reflects both her curiosity and determination.

Whether she ultimately chooses a career in marine biology, oceanography, scientific research, or medicine, she has already demonstrated the courage, dedication, and passion needed to succeed.

We wish her every success as she continues her remarkable journey.

With love and pride,

Dadaji & Dadiji
Preetmohan and Harvinder Kapoor