After Mohinder found the file on the boy from his dream, it got me thinking about how similar Chandra's story was to Bennett's. This is what I've deduced has happened:
Chandra finds out when Mohinder and his sister are babies that "they" (we have not been told about Mohinder, but I think there's at least a possibility he has an ability) are special and spends much of his career trying to figure out why this is. Remember, he's an evolutionist, so freak changes like humans manifesting superhuman abilities has to be a reaction to something in the environment.
A decade after, Bennett has a similar encounter with Claire's mother (resulting in a similar end). He also spends much of his time investigating what is causing this - only he has much better resources, and a much better cross-section of humanity to work with ("American Melting Pot" and all). Over time, he builds up a "team" of sorts, to assist him im figuring out what's causing these abilities to manifest.
Chandra does all the research he can with what he knows... and then hits a "brick wall". He goes back to his original field of study.. keeping the ideas he's learned as more an anecdote than anything (even writes one or more books about what he's found). Then one day he finds this boy who can enter dreams. He returns to his previous work... this time with real proof and in the process, alienates his colleagues (we know this because of what Mira said to Mohinder about "burying" his father's work)
Based on his findings, Chandra is able to predict who and where a metahuman will appear (his program). Unable to continue further under the eye of his fellow scholors, Chandra moves to New York and meets Bennett. The two work together on the research (for different reasons, obviously) until Chandra is killed by Sylar.
This would make the boy very important to both Chandra and Mohinder - as he is the "proof" both have looked for.