Features

What Makes a Legacy?

For the Viranis, legacy is about family, hope, and the promise of future generations. It is also something created through everyday actions and interactions.

In October, Rice Business celebrated a new name for its undergraduate program: The Virani Undergraduate School of Business. The name is in recognition of a historic gift to Rice Business from Houston business and community leaders Farid and Dr. Asha Virani (B.A. ’89 ), which will support undergraduate curriculum development and delivery, cocurricular opportunities, a new associate dean position and other resources for undergraduate career readiness and academic success. The undergraduate major was launched in 2021.

More than just a name, the Virani Undergraduate School of Business reflects a shared commitment to undergraduate education and belonging — values championed by the Virani family.

We asked the Viranis — Farid, Asha, and their children, Zoya and Faraz (B.A. ’21) — to tell us a bit about the family behind the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.

Here’s what they shared …

On love …

Farid: Meeting Asha was the highlight of my life. Rice played a big role in that, and that’s why we’re so close to the school. Our first official date was on Feb. 13, 1989. In the ’80s, radio stations used to run contests. If you were caller number 10 or caller number 20, you would win a prize. It was Valentine’s weekend, and 104.1 KRBE ran a contest. Caller number 10 would win this Valentine package. So I started dialing, and somehow stars aligned, and I was a winner. The package included flowers, chocolate, dinner and a movie.

Asha: How could I say no to such a fabulous night out? Farid and I met by happenstance and have had the most amazing love story. Feb. 13 is very special to us. In fact, we don’t even celebrate Valentine’s Day — we celebrate each other the day before. That is why we held an event on campus on Feb. 13 to celebrate the naming. It was important to us that it be held on that date, because it represents the beginning of our story together.

On Houston …

Farid: I came to the U.S. from Pakistan when I was 19 years old, and like a lot of American immigrant stories, I was fortunate enough to end up in Houston, which allowed me not only to go to school, but to start on my entrepreneurial journey. Prime Communications is the business I started back in 1999 with one store in Baybrook Mall, and today we do business all over North America. Prime’s journey started with one store, but we partnered with AT&T, which allowed us to grow organically, slowly, early on. As time passed, we were able to make some strategic acquisitions, and that allowed us to grow our business.

Asha: I came to Houston when I was 4 years old, and later decided to spend my life here. I was lucky enough to go to Rice, which then brought me to Baylor College of Medicine, and then to practice medicine in this great city. Houston is special. I believe it’s the city that brings out the best in people — it definitely brought out the best in me.

Rice has always had a reputation of excellence, of academic rigor, but the residential college system really gave me a sense of belonging. To my father, Rice was the ultimate school. And obviously, as a young girl, I wanted to make my parents proud. My decision to attend Rice was one that would allow me to stay close to my family and have the best education the country offers.

Faraz: I think this gift — and everything it encapsulates — really represents how my parents, my family, feels about the city of Houston and Rice. This city has done a lot of good for our family over the years and will do a lot for generations. We’re a Houstonian family — I don’t plan on that changing anytime soon.

On family …

Asha: It has been a very graced life for me, having met Farid and been part of seeing him grow, seeing him be the success that he is, seeing how humble he is, and understanding what success means to him. It’s been a very blessed journey for our family. My greatest successes are my children: Faraz, who’s a Rice alum; Zoya, who went to Emory; and our beloved angel, our forever 9-year-old, Faris D. I have three beautiful children: two on Earth and one in heaven as my guiding light.

We started the Faris Foundation in our son’s honor. It comes from a place of deep love, of faithfulness and of abiding hope. Our goal at the foundation is singular: It is to bring brighter days and better treatments to children with cancer. Faris D. is the Chief Angel Officer of the foundation. His light guides us in our programs, and it inspires and informs everything we do. I often tell people that heaven and Earth are working together, and so it’s a privilege of a lifetime for me to be able to co-lead this foundation with my son.

On the power of education …

Farid: Asha and I have always believed in the power of education to transform lives. True education must be built on ethics, adaptability and empathy, preparing us to navigate a constantly changing world. This belief is deeply rooted in our family’s values, guided by our faith and its principles. Rice holds a very special place in our hearts. It is a university that doesn’t just focus on academic achievement — it develops extraordinary students who go on to change the world.

On philanthropy …

Farid: I believe that giving back is not just a privilege, it is a duty. Personal success means nothing unless it is used to serve others.

On legacy …

Zoya: Legacy is a component that is very important for me. Business schools and undergraduate schools across the U.S. don’t often represent our story and our name. And so, for me, it was important to represent my dad’s story, our family story, of immigrating to the U.S. These stories are important for people like us to see — that you can make it in Houston, you can make it in America.

Asha: For us, this gift represents the legacy of our family — for the five of us and for generations to come — so the decision was not made lightly. We decided that this was the right thing to do because we believe in Rice, we believe in the leadership at Rice, and most importantly, we believe in the students at Rice.

We’ve always taught our children about legacy. Legacy for our family is about recognizing that during every single encounter you make, with every single person you meet, you are giving them a part of you and you are accepting a part of them. So I never think of legacy as something you’re leaving. I think legacy is something you create every single day in the way you live and interact and engage in the world.

On vision …

Farid: We have no doubt that the Virani Undergraduate School of Business will become a hub of inspiration, resilience and opportunity — a place where students will be encouraged to think boldly, act ethically and lead with purpose.