If you’ve ever wandered down Cottonwood Drive during Halloween, you’ve probably felt the energy long before you spotted the lights, music, or dancing. That’s where the Sevak family has made their home for the past six years, and their joy for community runs just as deep as their love for each other.
Janak and Deepti, both 44, grew up in India and met the way many great stories begin… as college students, long before they realized they were building the foundation of a life together. They were both engineering majors at the same university in Pune. Janak still laughs when he remembers how he used to come up with excuses just to talk to Deepti. Friendship grew into something more, and by their sophomore year he was so smitten he left for school early one semester just so he could stop by in her hometown of Jammu to surprise her. Her reaction said it all… happiness mixed with just enough shock to make everything unforgettable.
Their first date was a movie chosen specifically for Deepti, a devoted Shah Rukh Khan fan. They spent nearly a decade together before marrying in February 2009 in India. Convincing her family took patience and time since they come from different religions, but love won out. Their wedding was everything an Indian celebration should be… colorful, loud, full of music and dance, and overflowing with family.
After marrying, the couple lived in Boston for several years before Janak’s career brought them west. A job opportunity with Facebook finally brought their long-held dream of moving to Silicon Valley to life. They lived in Pleasanton for a while before eventually discovering the home they now cherish in Blackhawk. Remote work during the pandemic opened the door to making the jump, and with the encouragement of close friends and longtime Blackhawk residents Balpreet and Simran, the Sevaks found their perfect spot near East Gate.
Life and Work
Both Janak and Deepti have built impressive careers grounded in technology and problem-solving. Janak works at Anthropic, an AI company in San Francisco, where he gets to live at the cutting edge of innovation, thinking about how technology can reshape the world. Before that, he spent years at Meta working on virtual and augmented reality technology.
Deepti is Director of Delivery Management at Public Consulting Group, where she oversees cybersecurity assessments and large-scale government projects. One of her proudest moments was helping deliver New York state’s contact tracing solution during the height of COVID, a role she describes as both intense and deeply meaningful.
Meet Jasmine and Kiaan
Their daughter Jasmine, 13, has just stepped into teenage life and eighth grade at DVMS. She’s an avid reader with a passion for history, culture, languages, and Indian classical dance. Their son Kiaan, 9, is a natural performer who loves drums, guitar, builds Legos, does karate and plays basketball. He’s in fourth grade at Tassajara Hills Elementary and already has a few live performances under his belt.
Family fitness is also a shared bond. This year, all four Sevaks completed the10k at the San Francisco Marathon together… a memory they treasure.
Joy, Dance, and Community Spirit
If there’s one thing the Sevaks bring to Blackhawk, it’s celebration. Deepti is a dancer with the Vaishnavi Misra group, performing Bollywood musical shows around the Bay Area. Janak is an endurance athlete who’s completed both the San Francisco Marathon and an Ironman triathlon.
Every Halloween, their garage transforms into a full-blown party: jello shots, food, dancing, and music that lasts well into the night. It’s their way of giving back to the neighborhood tradition that has existed on Cottonwood Drive for nearly two decades.
Home, Tradition, and Daily Life
The family loves the high ceilings and peaceful backyard of their home, especially the view of the fairway from the bedroom. But more than anything, they love the shared traditions they’ve created. Every night, they sit down for dinner together, no phones allowed, and play trivia or riddles. It’s simple, but it keeps them connected.
They also make it a point to celebrate festivals together and to travel as a family. Their adventures have taken them to France, Italy, England, Spain, Japan, Belgium, Canada, the UAE, and Mexico… and they try to add a new country every year.
Rooted in Community
Through monthly karaoke nights, Diwali celebrations, and neighborhood gatherings, the Sevaks have built strong friendships throughout Blackhawk. They speak warmly about the people around them and the support they received when Janak was ill.
“We’re grateful to all our friends in the community who helped us when we needed it the most,” they shared. “This neighborhood has become family.”
From engineering school sweethearts in India to Halloween hosts on Cottonwood Drive, the Sevaks embody what makes Blackhawk special… a place where families bring not just their stories, but their hearts.
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010, Photos supplied by the Sevaks