08-08-2025
When Their Paths Finally Crossed
Dr. Ganesh Rao and Dr. Nina Shah lived in the same Houston neighborhood in the early 2000s. Both were doctors at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and their children attended the same school. But the two never connected.
All that changed in February 2023, when a mutual friend set them up.
By then, Dr. Shah, 48, had moved to San Francisco to work at another hospital. Dr. Rao, 53, remained in Houston and eventually became a professor and chair of neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, a role he still holds.
When they were introduced, both had been divorced for almost three years and were looking for love. 'I wanted that special someone and always believed she was out there,' Dr. Rao said.
'I wanted love that was whole, intentional and accepting,' Dr. Shah said. 'Our friend insisted that we would be perfect for each other, so I set up a Teams video call for us to meet.'
When Dr. Rao saw her smile on the screen, he was smitten. 'She was beautiful and seemed so full of life,' he said.
'Ganesh was so handsome, and once we started talking, I saw how kind and intelligent he was,' Dr. Shah said.
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